Police at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport have arrested a 15-year-old, identified by his initials DV, who is suspected of stealing 10 suitcases from the airport’s relatively new Terminal 3.
Screenshots from CCTV video footage showing the suspect picking up people’s suitcases from the luggage conveyor belt and walking out of the terminal as if he were a regular traveler went viral online last week,.
The police identified and arrested DV, a middle school student, at his home in Tigaraksa, Tangerang yesterday. The police say DV went to Terminal 3 to steal luggage on five occasions since November, taking home two suitcases each time.
“He usually drove to the airport using his parents’ car. He brought his own suitcase to trick security officers into believing that he was a passenger,” said Soekarno-Hatta Police Chief Victor Togi Tambunan yesterday as quoted by Kompas.
Viktor added that DV was able enter the terminal’s baggage reclaim area by telling security officers that he has forgotten to pick up his luggage each time. During his latest alleged theft that was caught by security cameras, police say DV picked up two suitcases at random, put them on a trolley and stacked his own suitcase on top to conceal them.
In the absence of a thorough luggage ownership check at the terminal, DV was able to take the stolen luggage to his car and drive home.
When the police arrested DV, Viktor said the 10 suitcases were all in his room with all the contents having been taken out.
“According to the suspect, he just really likes suitcases. He wanted to collect them,” he said.
DV was charged with theft under the KUHP (criminal code), which is punishable by up to 5 years in prison. However, the police were not able to keep DV in custody during the investigation as Indonesia’s laws on criminal punishment for minors prevents detainment of children over 14 unless they have been charged with a crime punishable by at least 7 years in prison.
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