B

ekasi Police in cooperation with Jakarta Police are hunting four armed men who robbed a house in Jati Bening, Bekasi, West Java, making off with Rp 2 billion (US$209,000) in cash, jewelry worth Rp 300 million, and a smartphone on Wednesday.

The police have searched the area and questioned seven witnesses, including victim Nelson Nababan and his wife.

'The police are now processing the information they got from the witnesses,' city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto told reporters on Thursday.

The perpetrators scaled the 4-meter wall of the housing complex with an aluminum ladder.  

'They did not get into the complex through the main gate where security officers were on guard,' he said.

The robbers got into the house by breaking the window and threatened Nelson and his wife with machetes before tying them up with rope and tape. After that they forced Nelson to show them the safe where the money was kept. They took the money, along with the jewelry and a BlackBerry, before climbing back over the wall to their car then fled along the toll road.

 'Our current hypothesis that the perpetrators already knew of the existence of the money in the house,' Rikwanto said.

The investigating officers have found some evidence which may indicate where the perpetrators went.

'The police are still analyzing the evidence to establish to where the robbers fled,' he went on.

The victim has a multilevel marketing business.

'We will dig out some more information from the victim and question some of his business acquaintances,' he said.

Witnesses can recall the faces of the robbers even though they could not describe them fully.

'Even though the perpetrators wore masks, the witnesses could still recall their faces. We will try to draw the sketches to assist the investigation,' Rikwanto said.

The house owner and his wife did not suffer any injuries. (hrl)