Police Arrest Thief 1 Quintal Of Coffee Beans Being Dryed

PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

REJANG LEBONG - The Rejang Lebong Police Team, Bengkulu, arrested a suspect for stealing coffee beans weighing 1 quintal when the plantation produce was being dried in a resident's yard.

Rejang Lebong Police Chief AKBP Tonny Kurniawan said the suspect arrested was KJ (32), a resident of Simpang Beliti Village, Binduriang District, Rejang Lebong Regency.

"The suspect was arrested by Bengko Sector Police on Thursday, May 12, 2022 at around 12.30 WIB in Village IV Tribe Menanti, Sindang Dataran District. The perpetrator using a motorbike took two sacks of wet coffee beans weighing 100 kilograms belonging to the residents," he said as quoted by Antara, Friday, May 13th.

He explained that the suspect took the wet coffee beans from a local resident's yard while drying. However, when the perpetrator brought the stolen goods, the son of the coffee owner told his parents so they immediately gave chase.

"The suspect was arrested by officers while on Jalan PNPM Desa IV, Menanti Bawah Tribe. When he was about to make an arrest, the suspect pulled out a knife that was tucked into his waist," he added.

For his actions, the suspect, he said, was charged with violating Article 362 of the Criminal Code on theft with a 5-year sentence and a violation of the Emergency Law No.12/1951 on possession of sharp weapons with a 10-year prison sentence.

Meanwhile, Bengko Sector Police Chief Iptu Singgih Wirastho added that the actions of the suspect KJ had disturbed farmers in Sindang Dataran District, most of whom worked as coffee farmers. Sindang is known to be the largest producer of coffee beans in Rejang Lebong.

"The people of Sindang Dataran District really appreciate the arrest of this suspect. There have been a lot of complaints from people who lost coffee beans to the Bengko Police," he said.

So far, his party is still developing a network of cases of theft of coffee beans which are suspected to have been operating in the area for a long time by targeting garden products belonging to residents who are stored in homes or cottages. Residents also suspect there is a possibility of thieves taking coffee from the stem or picking it directly.