Two men have been arrested for allegedly trying to extort by pretending to be police officers

News24xx.com -  Two men have been arrested for allegedly trying to extort and intimidate people by pretending to be police officers, even pointing fake guns at residents in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.

Tanah Abang Police chief Sr. Adj. Comr. Lukman Cahyono alleged the suspects, Edy R, 34, and Uri Siregar, 29, randomly scouted several areas to look for victims.

Lukman claimed that when passing Jl. Jati Baru in Tanah Abang on Wednesday, the suspects saw several people they suspected of gambling with playing cards.

"The suspects [allegedly] immediately raided them, accusing some of the residents of gambling. The suspects then [allegedly] took some money and cell phones that the victims had at the time," Lukman said on Thursday, wartakota.tribunnews.com reported.

The suspects are accused of carrying toy guns that they used to threaten people. 

"But it turned out the victims did not believe what the suspects claimed to be. They brought the suspect to a place and interrogated them, which revealed that the suspects were not police officers," Lukman said.

The victims then shouted at the suspects and locals attacked the suspects.

"We confiscated evidence such as toy guns, Rp 15,000 [US$1] in cash and cellphones," Lukman.

Police claim one of the suspects, Edy, told them it was the first time he had tried to intimidate people using a toy gun.

The suspects have been charged under Article 368 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison upon conviction.

 

 

 

NEWS24XX.COM/PAR