The robbery in Ciputat was done by 12 people but so far only five of them had been caught. Toni identified them by their initials as MI, ES, AS, SR and T.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The police have so far nabbed five of the 12 men involved in the February 24 heist at four jewelry shops in Ciputat in south Jakarta and found out they had perpetrated a similar robbery just the day before elsewhere, a spokesman said.

The arrested suspects admitted to carrying out a jewelry shop robbery at the Rawa Lumbu Market in Bekasi last February 23, Senior Commissioner Toni Harmanto, the Jakarta metropolitan Police`s chief detective, said Friday.

The robbery in Ciputat was done by 12 people but so far only five of them had been caught. Toni identified them by their initials as MI, ES, AS, SR and T.

The five gang members had played different roles in the Ciputat heist. MI had provided vehicles, ES and AS carried guns and were among those who entered and looted the shops, SR had provided the motorcycles used in the action and T had taken care of a post-robbery hideout.

"We are now also trying to find the heist`s mastermind whose identity we already know," Toni said.

The group made away with 6-9 kg of gold causing an estimated loss of Rp3.8 billion to the shops` owners.

The robbers later sold the stolen gold for Rp1.8 billion while police had seized Rp342.2 million in cash from the five arrested men.

In the Ciputat robbery on Friday, Feb 24, gang members fired shots to gain entry into the Sinar Abadi, Subur Jaya, Ciputat Jaya and Dua Empat jewelry shops.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012