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Mom-and-Pop Heist Goes Bad For Gold Thieves
Zaky Pawas | July 08, 2010

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Police in West Java gunned down two suspected jewelry robbers in a tense shoot-out in Central Bogor following a hostage drama and high-speed car chase late on Tuesday night.

The suspects, identified as Adi Osmon, 32, and Masrizal, 31, both died of multiple gunshot wounds, police said.

Bogor Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Slamet Nugroho Wibowo said on Wednesday that the car chase was sparked after officers who had been following the suspects surprised them just as the suspects took a husband and wife hostage in Bogor and attempted to rob them.

“We had to shoot down the two suspects after they pulled their guns on us,” Slamet told the Jakarta Globe, adding that the two were part of a gang of armed robbers specializing in gold jewelry heists in the Greater Jakarta area and had lately been casing stores in Bogor and Bekasi.

“At least three other suspects managed to get away,” Slamet said. “We believe there were more than five suspects. A team of detectives from Bogor Police precinct and West Java Police headquarters are on their trail.”

Slamet identified the hostages as Yusuf “Yoinghaw” Heman, 60, and his wife, Tjia Ping Kiaw, 57.

Police officers on Tuesday evening, having recognized the suspects’ Daihatsu Xenia minivan, had been following and observing the suspects as they drove on the Jagorawi toll road.

The officers, Slamet said, were not prepared for what happened next. The suspects stopped at a house on Jalan Gedong Sawah 2 in Central Bogor at 11 p.m.

The victims were in a Mitsubishi van driving toward their home on Jalan Gedong Sawah. Both had just come back from a day of selling food supplies at Bogor’s Anyar Market.

The victims had pulled in to their driveway when the suspects in the Xenia sideswiped their car, Slamet said.

Three people then got out of the Xenia and began threatening Yoinghaw and Tjia with knives, forcing both of them to get into the Xenia and prompting the officers to give chase.

Only two of the suspects returned to their car, the third fleeing by foot.

Realizing they were being followed, the suspects began to shoot at the officers’ car as they were nearing the Military Police Headquarters III in Bogor.

The suspects continued to shoot during the high-speed car chase, hitting the police car, with police also firing back despite the fact that there were hostages inside. Upon reaching a railway crossing outside Central Bogor Police station, the tires of the Xenia burst, Slamet said.

“The tires on their vehicle just blew out as they passed the crossing at that point,” he said.

“But even in that condition they continued driving. They made a right turn and ended up on Jalan Tentara Pelajar,” Slamet went on.

“In order to stop them, one of our officers deliberately rammed his vehicle into theirs.”

At that point, police fired on the suspects, killing both.

Police seized a gun, a knife and a machete from the suspects. The minivan, meanwhile, was riddled with bullet holes, Slamet said.

Both victims were rescued, and no officers were harmed.

Yoinghaw sustained cuts from a machete wielded by the suspects and required medical treatment. His wife was unharmed.