Reza Hery Pamungkas, Jakarta – Jakarta authorities are stepping up efforts to curb rising street crime after a wave of violent robberies and mugging cases in the Indonesian capital sparked public anxiety and prompted social media users to compare the area to "Gotham City," the fictional crime-ridden home of Batman.
The surge in so-called "begal" attacks – a local term for violent street robberies often involving motorcycles and weapons – has become a growing concern, particularly in West Jakarta and Central Jakarta, where several incidents involving both local residents and foreign tourists recently went viral online.
Pramono Anung said the Jakarta administration will integrate roughly 24,000 CCTV cameras across the capital by 2027 in coordination with the Metro Jaya Police as part of a broader strategy to strengthen public security.
"The integrated system will combine CCTV networks managed by the Jakarta administration, regional-owned enterprises, and public transportation operators," Pramono said at City Hall earlier this week.
The system will also include surveillance cameras owned by police and buildings taller than four floors, which are required to install cameras facing public streets.
Authorities hope the network can function as an early warning system to detect and prevent crimes across the city.
The issue gained wider attention after a string of robberies targeting foreign nationals in Central Jakarta. An Italian tourist was robbed near the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle last week while waiting for a ride-hailing service, while a Polish citizen and a Dutch national were also targeted in separate phone-snatching incidents earlier this month.
Police said they have solved 171 street crime cases over the past five months and arrested 103 suspects. Thirteen cases were uncovered following reports and viral videos shared on social media.
In response, Jakarta Police have formed a special anti-mugging task force known as the "begal hunters."
"We recently formed an anti-mugging task force as part of Jakarta Police Metro Jaya's commitment to solving these cases," Jakarta Police official Asep Suheri said on Friday.
Meanwhile, Hardiyanto Kenneth, a Jakarta city council member from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, organized a cross-sector security discussion involving local government officials, police, military officers, and community leaders in West Jakarta.
"If people are calling West Jakarta 'Gotham City,' that is an alarm for all of us," Kenneth said, adding that residents should not feel unsafe commuting or returning home at night.
Kenneth called for tighter patrols in crime-prone areas, better street lighting, and wider CCTV deployment through partnerships with private companies and regional state-owned enterprises using corporate social responsibility funding.
He also said he would continue monitoring security conditions in West Jakarta "for the comfort, safety, and welfare" of residents.
Officials said combating street crime will require cooperation between law enforcement, local governments, businesses, and the public, with authorities encouraging residents to report incidents through the emergency hotline 110.
Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/jakarta-steps-up-crime-crackdown-after-gotham-city-label-goes-vira