VietNamNet Bridge – The Ha Noi People's Court yesterday, May 24, sentenced two Indonesian men to 15 years in prison for theft.

The Ha Noi People's Court sentenced two Indonesian men to 15 years in prison for theft.

According to evidence heard, Prayoga, Wijava and Charles Arisandy, all from Indonesia, entered Viet Nam on April 11, 2010 to engage in stealing money. They stayed at a hotel in Hang Be street in the capital's Hoan Kiem District and targeted bank customers.

In their plan, Arisandy watched clients withdraw money at banks, after which Wijava would ride a motorbike and stick nails into clients' automobile rear tyres. Prayoga would steal the clients' property.

On April 12, 2010, they hired motorbikes and drove to Techcombank branch in Trung Hoa-Nhan Chinh area in Cau Giay District. There they spotted a man withdrawing VND2.2 billion (more than US$100,000) from the bank in the company of his wife and mother-in-law.

The thieves followed their victims, planted nails into the tyres of their car at the intersection of Le Van Luong and Lang Ha streets and stole the money while the victims were replacing the punctured tyre. The culprits then exchanged the money into US dollars and returned to Indonesia the next day.

Later, Prayoga and Wijava returned to Viet Nam and applied the same strategy for theft on October 27, 28 and 29, 2010 but failed to get their hands on any money. They were then arrested by police on October 30.

At the court, the men admitted to stealing VND2.2 billion together with Arisandy.

Arisandy has had no contact with the two accused men since his return to Indonesia and the investigative agency have decided to handle the case against him later as he is not currently in Viet Nam.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News