TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Father, child killed after witnessing botched cellphone theft in Banten
Change Size
Illustration of a crime scene (Shutterstock.com/Prath)
A
resident of Serang in Banten reportedly murdered a father and his child and seriously injured the child’s mother after the family had witnessed his botched attempt to steal a cellphone.
Banten Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Edy Sumiardi alleged that 29-year-old man Samin committed the crime in Sukadalem village in Waringinkurung district in the early hours of Aug. 13.
Edy said the suspect had come across a house with an open front door when he was on his way home after meeting some friends in neighboring Cilegon. He then spontaneously entered the house to nab a cellphone in the living room.
“He wanted to steal a cellphone from the living room, but [homeowner Rustandi] caught him in the act. He proceeded to hit [Rustandi] with a block of wood taken from the front yard,” Edy said as quoted by kompas.com, adding that Rustandi was immediately killed.
Samin then allegedly murdered Rustandi’s 4-year-old child and beat his wife, Siti Sa’idah. At the time of writing, Siti was in critical condition.
Edy said the suspect and the victims did not know each other.
Samin had taken home the stolen cellphone before going into hiding in Lampung the following day, Edy said. Police apprehended him one week later, he added.
He said Samin was charged under articles 365 and 338 of the Criminal Code and could be sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison if found guilty. (rfa)
