Woman hypnotized

JAKARTA (JP): A thief hypnotized a woman, 24 year-old Nurilah, and ran away with Rp 3.5 million (US$1,458) in cash yesterday, her uncle said.

Abdul Kadir said he reported the incident to the Palmerah police precinct in West Jakarta, hoping the police would catch the thief.

Abdul said his niece did not remember what the man looked like except that he was middle aged and had made her willingly hand over her purse containing the cash, two Automatic Teller Machine cards from the Lippo and BCA banks and her personal identification card.

Abdul said Nurilah, from Jl. Andong Raya 29, Kota Bambu Selatan, West Jakarta, said the man had approached and began chatting to her near the Harapan Kita hospital entrance on Jl. S. Parman, West Jakarta, at 10:00 a.m.

Abdul said the money was to pay for Nurilah's three-month-old son's eye operation next week. "The operation may be canceled now because she lost the money," Abdul said. (04)