Police arrest robbery gang, kill one

Officers from the Bali Police’s violent crimes unit on Saturday shot dead a suspected robber from a group believed to be behind a string of violent robberies targeting foreigners in recent weeks.

They also arrested four other members of the group.

The dead man was identified as “Bedog” M Syahri, a 34-year-old from Central Lombok in the neighboring province of West Nusa Tenggara. He was shot once in the head.

“He resisted arrest and ran away. Officers fired warning shots before shooting the suspect,” Bali Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Gde Sugianyar Dwiputra said Sunday to Syahri’s relatives who came to Sanglah Central Hospital to identify Syahri’s body and bring him home.

The police released the body to the relatives, who returned to Lombok for the funeral.

“We accept the police explanation of events,” a relative, Ahmad Kidul, said.

Sugianyar said Syahri was a known criminal who in 2008 was arrested by Denpasar Police on a similar charge of violent robbery. During the arrest officers shot Syahri in the leg.

Sugianyar, however, did not disclose the identities of the four other suspects, stating that doing so could compromise the investigation.

“We are in the process of pursuing more suspects in the case,” he said, adding that the suspects had confessed to committing at least 13 robberies in Denpasar and Badung.

Before dawn on Saturday, a group of armed, plainclothes officers surrounded a house in Renon area, Denpasar, to make the arrest.

The house, owned by a known buyer of stolen goods, had been under police surveillance since a string of violent robberies first rocked the island.

Following the arrest, police also confiscated jewelry, 16 cell phones, three wristwatches, Rp 17 million (US$1,890) in cash and two swords.

“These robbers are not shy about using violence or injuring their victims,” Sugianyar said.

A string of robberies of foreigners and locals in the first month of 2011 has gripped the island. Italian national Alfredo Delbo was severely injured at dawn on Dec. 30 when a five masked robbers entered his villa in Cucukan, Gianyar, after poisoning two guard dogs. The robbers attacked Delbo with machetes and stole valuables worth Rp 2 billion.

On Jan. 19, Lusiana Burgess, the wife of retired British pilot David Bulger, was found dead in their house at Kerobokan, North Kuta. Several valuables were missing from the house.

Police believe the woman was the victim of a violent robbery.

Six days later, Australian national Christine Cheryl was attacked by four robbers at her rented villa in the isolated area of Tiying Tukul village in Badung.

The robbers stole jewelry, electronic goods and cash valued at around Rp 180 million.

The latest case involved US national Ekoto Philip Mimbimi, who at dawn on Jan. 29 was assaulted by two robbers at his house in North Kuta. Mimbini fought back but had to be taken to hospital for his injuries.

Angered by the increasing violence displayed by robbers, Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Hadiatmoko ordered officers to prioritize the arrest of the gang and, if necessary, to shoot any suspected robbers who resisted arrest.