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mother of one, who lives in Taman Palem Lestari housing complex in Cengkareng, West Jakarta, was shocked recently when she found out that an unoccupied house near her residence was a drug factory.

"I thought the house was being renovated as I saw one or two cars coming to unload things several times," she said.

"I only realized there was a drug making factory just a few meters from my door when the police raided the house and found a dozen kilograms of ingredients to make crystal methamphetamine."

Having lived in the complex for more than two years, the woman said she and her husband did not mix much with the other residents as both of them were busy managing their clock businesses in various shopping malls in Jakarta.

A series of high-profile crimes in residential complexes have made the headlines this year.

For example, as of the second week of December, the police have successfully uncovered a dozen drug factories or safe houses in Greater Jakarta, mostly located in apartments or modern housing complexes.

On Feb. 17, police discovered a crystal meth factory at the Citra Raya housing complex in Cikupa, Tangerang.

In the first week of December, the police arrested eight suspects for possessing 4.8 kilograms of crystal meth worth Rp 8.5 billion (US$901,000) from an apartment in the Laguna Apartment building in Penjaringan, North Jakarta.

It seems that the privacy provided by building or complex managements is apparently an advantage for drug syndicates, as they are able to produce and distribute their wares away from the prying eyes of neighbors. Recent cases, however, have seen a new kind of crime in such environments: homicide

On Nov. 9, Setianti Retno Dewi, 24, a freelance model and university student, was killed in her rented apartment at Mediterania Garden Apartment in West Jakarta.

She died after her make-up artist hit her on the head with a set of bathroom scales. It is reported that no neighbors knew her or heard their fight. Setianti's body was found two days later. It was the third murder in the apartment building this year.

University of Indonesia criminologist Adrianus Meliala sees the increasing number of crimes taking place in exclusive apartments as one of the consequences of the changing structure of Jakarta urban society, especially in middle- to high-class circles.

"Nowadays, there are more and more people who attain financial success at a young age," Adrianus said, adding that such a situation paved the way to increasing individualism.

Increasing crime closer to home, however, does not necessarily mean decreasing crime on traditional turf. The streets of Jakarta remain a place where residents should exercise caution.

As of October, the city police recorded more than 5,000 traffic accidents in Jakarta, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi, killing 823 people and injured more than 6,000 people. Of the accidents, 181 took place in busway lanes.

The National Police has estimated an average of 30,000 people die every year due to traffic accidents.

Meanwhile, in an operation run between Jan. 20 and Feb. 11 to eradicate thuggery and street crime in Greater Jakarta, the city police arrested 557 criminals for their involvement in cases such as pickpocketing, auto theft, gambling and violent robbery. Such cases, however, never stop worrying road users.

In a similar operation held during the last week of November, the police arrested 515 criminals for being involved in 199 street crimes.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said street crimes would always be one of the major problems in a busy, densely populated city like Jakarta.