Suara.com – Grandfather with the initials AG (67), was named a suspect in the theft of the gold-plated alif pole on top of the dome of the Al-Huda Mosque, Kayeli Village, Teluk Kaiyeli District, Buru Regency, Maluku.
Buru Island Police Chief AKBP Sulastri Sukidjang said this case was successfully solved after it was reported by the public on March 4 2024. Then officers carrying out the investigation found evidence of a gold-plated alif pole weighing approximately 2.6 kilograms.
“Currently, investigators have named AG as a suspect as referred to in the formulation of Article 363 Paragraph (1) 5e of the Criminal Code regarding theft by aggravation,” said Sulastri during a press conference at the Buru Police Headquarters, Namlea, Monday (11/3/2024).
Sulastri said that the perpetrator was arrested on Thursday (7/3). Meanwhile, the stolen alif poles were found in two different locations on Friday (8/3).
Before arresting the perpetrator, officers first found a ladder at the crime scene. From the results of the investigation, the team suspected that AG was on his way to Namlea using a fast boat from Kayeli Village. It is known that he wanted to leave for Ambon and was going to Ternate, North Maluku Province.
“From the information obtained, the team searched for AG and found him around the Dervas Complex, Namlea Village. He was immediately detained and taken to the Buru Police for questioning,” he said.
After being arrested, the perpetrator AG finally admitted that the ladder he was using was his. He also conveyed a number of locations where the gold-plated alif poles were kept.
“The investigative team then went to the storage locations for the theft on Friday (8/3/2024) and in the evening they were finally found and immediately secured at the Buru Police,” he explained.
After examining AG, the team then obtained the names of four other residents who knew about the theft carried out by the suspect. They are AU (59), YI (42), RS (59) and RT (61). The four people were then examined as witnesses.
“From the results of examining the four witnesses separately, no involvement was found. The information they gave did not match the statement of the suspect AG,” he said.
Furthermore, on Sunday, March 10 2024 at around 11.30 WIT, dozens of personnel carrying out open security took the suspect to reenact the scene related to the theft incident.
“As a result of recreating the scene, it was discovered that it was AG's brother who carried out the theft,” he explained.
The police chief revealed that the suspect's modus operandi was carried out from 02.00 – 05.00 WIT. He carried out the action using two ladders.
The ladder used by the suspect was made of wood, 5.18 meters high and 3 meters high. The suspect also used a green nylon rope. He also used a 5 meter long piece of wood with a 6 cm piece of iron stuck into it at the end as a hook.
After he managed to lift the equipment above the mosque and managed to climb the mosque dome, the suspect then used a five meter long piece of wood with iron embedded at the end as a hook.
“While on top of the mosque dome, the suspect then took a five-meter piece of wood with a six-iron iron attached to it as a hook at the end. He then hooked it to the Alif pole and pulled three times until the Alif pole fell on the roof of the mosque,” he said.
Due to the fall, the word Allah made of pure gold broke from the alif pole. The suspect then took the stolen goods and fled the mosque.
“Before going down, the suspect opened the rope and threw it along with the ladder and wood under the mosque. He then went down and carried the ladder and wood over the fence behind the mosque and threw them in the river bushes,” he said.
According to the Police Chief, when carrying out this action, the suspect was wearing a face covering. Because the word Allah on the alif pole was broken, the suspect then broke it into five pieces.
“After that the suspect returned home and kept the gold, some of which was placed near the nipa tree. The suspect then walked to the beach and planted some of the remaining gold in the sand next to the beach, precisely under the new tree, and under the mat tree. After that the suspect returned home ,” he said.
The police chief stated that the suspect's motive for committing the theft was economic necessity. The suspect admitted that he had so many debts that he was determined to steal to pay off his debts.
According to him, investigators have currently examined 7 witnesses and have secured evidence related to the TP theft with this weight.
“The evidence we have secured includes an alif pole made of gold, a black face covering, a ladder, the suspect's shirt and trousers, rope, wooden hooks and beads made of gold,” explained the Police Chief.