Squeezing Company Using Ormas Name, Preman From Depok Arrested After Going Viral

Extortionists and screen capture video footage of extortion that went viral on social media/ VOI

JAKARTA - West Jakarta Metro Police stated that there is no room for street crimes and acts of thuggery within the jurisdiction of the West Jakarta Metro Police. It turned out that the slogan was proven by the arrest of the extortionist who claimed to be an mass organization in a construction project on Jalan Joglo Raya, Kembangan District, West Jakarta in less than 1 x 24 hours.

The extortion action began with the viral CCTV footage on social media. The video was recorded on Monday 23 August. Then the video was distributed on social media through the Instagram platform, the Instagram account @kamerapengawas on Wednesday, August 25, yesterday.

"The CCTV footage shows someone coming and extorting staff at a project in the Joglo area, Kembangan, West Jakarta," he wrote in the caption.

The viral video was uploaded by a victim named Anita. Anita admitted that she was forced to go viral. The reason is, Anita felt bored because the perpetrators for four days asked for Rp 5 million for security reasons.

The woman who works as a staff member in a development project in the Joglo area, Kembangan, said that the incident she experienced was intentionally recorded on her cellphone and went viral. Because according to Anita, the man who claims to be from a mass organization often takes millions of rupiah in building projects.

"He came here asking for money. Then he allotted Rp. 5 million a month," said Anita when met by reporters at the scene, Thursday, August 26, yesterday.

Anita said her company never heeded the request. Because when asked to the head of the local RT, the RT did not know the organization in question.

In addition to going viral, Anita's company has also reported the incident to the authorities. He hopes that the police can catch the perpetrators soon so that such incidents do not happen again.

"I hope that no one else is rich like that, because it's detrimental to the company, it's also detrimental to me," he said.

Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Kembangan Police, AKP Ferdo

The Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Kembangan Police, AKP Ferdo, said that after receiving the extortion report, his party together with the West Jakarta Metro Police immediately pursued the perpetrator.

With the viral video, the Kembangan Police Criminal Investigation Unit immediately went to the scene to check the CCTV footage. It turned out to be true, there was an alleged blackmail practice at the scene.

Then, his party is looking for the identity of the perpetrator based on the characteristics recorded on CCTV. Less than 1 x 24 hours after the victim reported, the perpetrator was arrested.

"We arrested and we secured evidence of 1 stick belonging to the perpetrator. Then, Rp. 500 thousand of the perpetrator's money was confiscated," he said.

So at the time of the incident, he continued, the suspect objected to initially asking for Rp. 50 million but was only given Rp. 500 thousand. Until now the case is still being investigated by the Kembangan Police.

"We're still investigating. We've done it in another place or something, we'll explore it. So the temporary confession will only be done once in that place," he said.

Ferdo explained, from the results of the investigation it was found that at this time there were no individual organizations playing or carrying out this activity, the DB perpetrator was only a single player.

"Yesterday he said he was a mass organization. We investigated it turned out that the perpetrator was not a mass organization. The perpetrator had objections (when given the money). The perpetrator was charged with Article 368 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code with a maximum threat of 9 years in prison," he said.

Ferdo appealed to residents of West Jakarta to always be aware of thuggery activities anywhere. Especially in the midst of this pandemic, to always be vigilant.

If there is thuggery activity on behalf of an individual or mass organization, please report it to the nearest police station.

"There is no room for thuggery in West Jakarta," he said.

Meanwhile, from the confession of the perpetrator DB (48), he was forced to be a victim of layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also admitted that he had only once committed the crime of extortion.

"This is the first time. I'm hungry. The children also want to pay for school. I came to actually look after (the project)," said the perpetrator before the police, Thursday, August 26, yesterday.