Armed robber stopped to feed and cradle crying baby during break-in

Compassionate Crooks

The investigation into a recent armed robbery in South Tangerang, 20 miles from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, has revealed that one of the perpetrators succumbed to his fatherly instincts while in the act and fed and cradled a crying infant to sleep while he was robbing a house. “When [the robbers] entered the home, the baby woke up and began crying,” Jakarta Police official Adj. Sr. Comr. Herry Heryawan said on Monday. “One of them fed the baby milk and then cradled him back to sleep.” The burglar, identified as Kojek Mista, was arrested over the weekend along with two others, Tamrin Simanjuntak and Fikri Rudianto. Tamrin was killed after he tried to escape, and police are still searching for two other people involved in the crime.

Kojek, along with his four peers, allegedly robbed a house in Bumi Serpong Damai Parkland in South Tangerang on June 22. “They carried guns, sharp weapons, a crowbar and duct tape. They entered the house by climbing [the walls of the backyard] around 3 a.m.,” Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said. Kojek, who appeared at a press conference along with police officials, said that he and the other burglars immediately ascended to the second floor after breaking in. “The housemaid woke up, so I covered her mouth and then bound her arms and legs. I stuck the duct tape on her mouth,” Kojek said. “There were two housemaids, but the other one didn’t awake, so we let her be.”

The house owner, Fance Lewa, woke up as she heard the fuss, and screamed when she saw strangers in the house. Tamrin immediately pointed his gun at her, after which she fell silent. The robbers then tied Fance up, but then her baby boy woke up and began crying nonstop, causing the burglars to panic. “I asked his mother how to make him stop crying. She said he had to be fed with milk,” Kojek said. He then made the instant formula for the baby under Fance’s guidance. “The mother said it should be made with two spoons of milk and warm water. I gave it to the baby while cradling him,” Kojek said.

“Not long after that, the baby fell asleep, so I put him in bed. I have a kid, so I know how to cradle a baby.” The robbers proceeded to rob the house, stealing a laptop, several smartphones, some cash, jewelry and other items worth a total of Rp 50 million (£3,200, $4,900). “And then we escaped [by climbing] the backyard walls again,” Kojek added. Herry said Tamrin and Fikri were arrested in a house in Kembangan, West Jakarta, while Kojek was found in another house in Rawa Lumbu, Bekasi. Police seized from them two motorcycles, a machete and a crowbar, among other things. “The perpetrators may be charged under Article 365 [of the Criminal Code] on robbery, and are facing between eight and 10 years in jail,” Rikwanto said.