A victim’s ingenuity and a dose of luck played huge parts in the arrest of an alleged motorcycle thief in Palembang, South Sumatra on Wednesday.
According to reports, a motorcycle belonging to a college student named Andika was missing on Monday after he had parked the vehicle outside his kost (boarding home) the previous evening.
Lucky for Andika, the alleged thieves put the motorcycle up for sale on Facebook not long after they stole it. Though parts of the motorcycle had been modified, Andika said he recognized its spokes.
Andika then reached out to one of the sellers, a man named Rian, and enquired about buying the spokes for IDR500K (US$35.62). They then set up a meeting for the transaction on the Musi IV Bridge in Palembang.
Andika did not come alone, as he had notified the police about his suspicion.
“We apprehended Rian while he was waiting for the motorcycle’s owner, Andika, on the Musi IV Bridge. Rian claims he bought the motorcycle from a thief named Iyan, who is a friend of his,” Seberang Ulu II Precinct Chief Yenni Diarty told reporters yesterday, as quoted by state news agency Antara.
Police have recovered Andika’s motorcycle, which is being kept as evidence for the time being. Meanwhile, Iyan has been placed on the police’s wanted list.
Under Indonesia’s Criminal Code, theft is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
