It Was Revealed, The Motive For Online Taxi Drivers To Kidnap Female Passengers And Ask For Rp100 Million For Marriage Fees

The results of the West Jakarta Metro Police Criminal Investigation Unit's examination of an online taxi driver with the initials M (26) for the extortion case against a female passenger with the initials C (29), it was revealed that the perpetrator asked the victim for Rp100 million for the wedding fee.

The perpetrator forcibly asked the victim for money. The perpetrator also ordered the victim to immediately transfer Rp100 million to the perpetrator's account.

West Jakarta Metro Police Chief Kombes M Syahduddi said the suspect was desperate to extort money because he was hit by the economy for the cost of marriage.

"So this perpetrator is desperate to marry his girlfriend in April 2024 and there is no cost to get married yet," Kombes Syahduddi told reporters, Monday, April 1.

Kombes Syahduddi explained that the incident began when the victim ordered Grabcar on Monday, March 25, 2024, at around 19:50 WIB from Neo Soho Mall Tanjung Duren, West Jakarta. The victim was about to go to the Puri Mansion Kembangan Apartment, West Jakarta.

The perpetrator, using an itam Toyota Avanza car with police number B 2048 TYA, took the victim's order.

After the victim got into the car, the driver left for the destination in the apartment area in Kembangan, West Jakarta.

Then the perpetrator entered the direction of Arjuna Street and when approaching the Kembangan area, the perpetrator put his vehicle on the toll road towards Tangerang. The victim was suspicious of the direction of the trip and asked for an explanation.

"Sir, why did you enter the toll road," said the victim and then answered by the perpetrator. "I'm just following Maps Aja," he said, imitating by the Police Chief.

Then the victim immediately opened the maps on the victim's cellphone and the victim saw the distance between the victim and the victim's residence for about 11 minutes.

After that the victim opened the Grab application to see the Grab driver rating. However, the victim would be surprised when he found out that the perpetrator had not pressed the passenger pickup button (the passenger had boarded the car).

Moments later, the perpetrator then asked the victim to transfer 100 million rupiah.

Then the victim said that he did not have that amount of money.

"There is Rp. 500 thousand, but there is no Rp. 100 million," said the victim.

Because the perpetrator threatened and forced the victim to transfer some money, finally the victim when the vehicle was traveling at a slower speed tried to get out of the car and managed to escape.

However, the perpetrators also immediately chased the victim and managed to arrest him again. The victim will take him to the perpetrator's car. Then the victim shouted "robber".

"Due to panic, the perpetrator finally fled and the victim tried to catch up or open the rear trunk of the perpetrator's car," he said.

As a result of his actions, suspect M was charged with Article 368 of the Criminal Code (Ancaman 9 Years in Prison) and/or Article 365 of the Criminal Code (Ancaman 9 Years in Prison) and/or Article 335 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code (Threats 1 Year in Prison).

Previously, it was reported that an online driver with the initials M (30) was arrested by a member of the West Jakarta Metro Police Satreskrim in the Cempaka Putih area, Central Jakarta.

The perpetrator was arrested for extorting a female victim named Cindy.

"Currently we are still investigating the perpetrators," said Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the West Jakarta Metro Police, AKBP Andri Kurniawan when confirmed, Sunday, March 31.