"The police have successfully dealt with 14 cases and arrested 11 suspects," Metro Jaya`s spokesman, Senior Commissioner Rikwanto, said here on Tuesday.
The robbers targeted mini-markets, which operated for 24 hours, by using various ways, he added.
Seventeen Alfamarts, 10 Indomarts, four Circle K, and one Alfamidi were robbed.
The 32 robbery cases occurred in Central Jakarta (six cases), East Jakarta (five), Bekasi city and Bekasi District (four each), Tangerang city (three), West Jakarta, and Tangerang district.
The robberies caused losses worth Rp390,466,300.
Several people, mostly shopkeepers, were injured in the incidents.
The robbers used guns in 13 cases, gases in 12, and sharp knives, daggers, and samurai in seven cases.
To prevent similar robberies from happening again, the Jakarta police have intensified street patrol to guard mini-markets.
Mini-market owners have also been urged to hire civilian security guards and install panic buttons connected to nearby police stations in order to tackle such criminal acts.
The Metro Jaya police and the Association of Indonesian Retailers (Aprindo) are expected to conduct a simulation exercise "on panic button usage" in several mini-markets in North Jakarta next week. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
