Police Arrest ATM Robbers in West Jakarta

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The West Jakarta Police have arrested three criminals for breaking into Automated Teller Machines (ATM) owned by a private bank. The thieves stole around Rp 400 million.

"We caught three groups. The first group consists of three people known as BR, AH, and FD. The second group consists of five persons, ANT, AS, DU, VRM, and HS. The third group consists of three perpetrators named, MA, AG, and AH," said the Head of the West Jakarta Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Police Commissioner Haris Kurniawan on Thursday, November 24, 2022.

Their actions were first detected when one of the private banks reported irregularities on one of their ATMs in West Jakarta. The bank reported that there was a discrepancy between the money that came out and the balance and total records from the ATM.

The police conducted an investigation by asking for statements from several witnesses at the scene. It turned out that there were three groups with a total of 11 perpetrators.

"We arrested the first group in the Karang Anyar area, Sawah Besar, and their colleague in East Jakarta. Then we arrested HS and VRM of group two in the Ciri Mekar Cibinong area, we made further investigation and arrested another perpetrator at the Cieteureup toll gate. Then we arrested the third group in the Bogor area," said Harris.

The perpetrators target ATMs in secluded locations

The perpetrators of the first group were arrested on November 18, 2022, the second group was arrested on November 21, 2022, and the third group was arrested on November 23, 2022. They are known to have been committing the crime for almost 1.5 years.

Haris explained that the group's modus operandi was to target an ATM in secluded area far from crowded areas. The method they use is using the card inserted into the machine as in a transaction in general.

"When the money came out, the suspect gouged the ATMs exit shutter so that the machine failed the transaction as if there had not been a deduction from the account balance," said Haris.

The eleven suspects will be charged under Article 363 paragraph (2) of the Criminal Code (KUHP) with a maximum penalty of nine years of imprisonment.

M FAIZ ZAKI l IMAJI LASAHIDO

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