West Jakarta traffic stumps thief, leads to arrest
JAKARTA – A car thief was arrested earlier this week after becoming stuck in a traffic jam in West Jakarta in the vehicle he had just stolen, police said on Wednesday (Feb 24).
JAKARTA – A car thief was arrested earlier this week after becoming stuck in a traffic jam in West Jakarta in the vehicle he had just stolen, police said on Wednesday (Feb 24).
The thief, Slamet Rahayu, 21, was visiting a relative in Tambora, West Jakarta, on Monday when he saw a small box truck — belonging to Tambora resident Elvria, 40 — parked at the side of the road. The driver’s door was unlocked and Slamet used a long metal wire to start the engine.
“He was caught red-handed after a resident witnessed the incident,” Tambora Subdistrict Police Chief Wirdhanto said on Wednesday.
He tried to drive away with the truck but was stuck in a heavy traffic jam not far away from the scene.
An angry mob pulled the thief from the vehicle and attacked him before a police officer intervened and took him to the police post in Jembatan Besi.
Police confiscated the vehicle and the wire used to start the engine.
Slamet, who is a repeat offender, could face five years in prison. JAKARTA GLOBE