Nail traps possible ahead of Idul Fitri (And some facts the Police should never have mentioned)

Here we go again. Ramadan has not yet started and the thieves and thugs are planning in advance for the major holiday of Idul Fitri which starts at the end of Ramadan.

Last week the Jakarta Post posted this warning..

Potential thieves are likely to spread nails on busy roads ahead of the Idul Fitri holiday, officers of the traffic management center (TMC) at city police headquarters are warning.

The police predicted the trend would continue this year, with perpetrators trying to take advantage of motorcycle riders returning to their hometowns.

"We regularly sweep the nails on the street, but the perpetrators keep doing it. Even officers who ride motorcycles have been victims,"

Not unusual news for Jakarta, but bear with me, there is a sting in the tail of this story!

Last Monday the traffic police swept under the bypass leading from Semanggi Plaza to the Blok M bus station Sunday with magnetic equipment, collecting one kilogram of nails. The officers later distributed the nails to the city park agency.

One is not sure if the parks department knows what to do with them given that

a) there are very few parks

b) those few that exist are in such disrepair it is unlikely the parks department have ever visited them.

This leaves another option

c) – Sell the nails for thieves to dump them on the roads . Result = Profit)

I know I have mentioned this before, but, here is how it works as told by the Jakarta Post.

Perpetrators have been known to use the nails to stop motorists, with the intention of robbing them. According to the scheme, thieves station themselves near the scattered nails, offering to assist victims forced to stop due to punctured tires.

They then “blag them” making off with wallets, phones, whatever they can get in fact.

What makes the annual Idul Fitri exodus more lucrative is the fact that the motorbike, as well as carrying a family of four will be laden with Gifts and in many cases, the obligatory kitchen sink. Rich pickings indeed.

Regarding these crimes, to date police had not yet made any arrests in connection with the nails.

How are the crime busters dealing with this…read on! (The sting in the tale)

"It's difficult to gather evidence because the perpetrators move from spot to spot," he said, adding police received information on the nails from motorists text-messaging 1717, the police contact number.

Police could not rely on the use of closed circuit televisions (CCTV) stationed at major thoroughfares because the majority no longer functioned.

It gets better. If you were in charge of CCTV surveillance in a city the size of Jakarta, would you reveal the chinks in your armour, Oh No! But here the cops carried on with….

"We only have around ten CCTVs. The rest have reached the end of their shelf life and can no longer be used," he said.

Last month, it was announced they would be able to access 150 CCTVs operated by the city administration, to help with monitoring efforts. The City police only possess 40 such televisions, most of which are faulty.

Our Brown Shirted friends said the city administration CCTVs had not been accessible due to technical problems. Technical Problems, more like the boot on the other foot with the Cops having to pay someone off to use the Camera’s – a sort off Criminal Pay Per View.

I think the thing that disturbed me most was that small towns with a population of 50-60 thousand people in the UK probably have 200 CCTV’s active within them. Jakarta, with is millions have 190 units, most of which “are fucked”!

No wonder the thugs love this place.