Kupastuntas.co, Metro - After a month of being wanted as a result of defrauding traders in Metro City nine times, a married couple from Central Lampung Regency (Lamteng) were finally arrested by the police.

The Head of the Metro Resort Police (Kapolres) AKBP Heri Sulistyo Nugroho through the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit (Kasat Reskrim) AKP Mangara Panjaitan revealed that the couples arrested were M. Abdul Figor (27) and Yulia Wati (23) residents of Surabaya Ilir Village, Bandar District Surabaya, Central Lampung Regency.

"So the chronology of the fraud committed by the suspect occurred on Saturday April 1, 2023 at around 10.59 pm at the Rumah Kurma Shop, Jalan Cut Nyak Dien, Imopuro Village, Central Metro District. The suspect committed fraud by ordering dates and chocolate to the victim via WhatsApp," said he told Kupastuntas.co, Friday (12/5/2023).

"So the fraud was by means of an agreement, the ordered goods were finished packing and the perpetrator would transfer money for the order. After the victim informed the perpetrator that the ordered goods had been packed, the reported party sent proof of transferring the order money, but the notification of proof of money transfer did not arrive until now," he added.

Kasat said that due to the fraud incident, the victim suffered a loss of 8 kilograms of dates, 52 kilograms of chocolate and 1 kilogram of honey, estimated at IDR 8,399,332.

"Then from a series of investigations to the investigation of the case, on Monday 8 May 2023 at around 18.30 pm, information was obtained about the whereabouts of the two suspects at the Gaya Baru Post and Giro Office, Seputih District, Surabaya. The husband and wife were immediately arrested and then taken to Metro Police for further investigation," he explained.

From the results of the examination, both admitted to fraud to meet their daily needs. The couple committed fraud 9 times at the same shop owned by the victim with the initials IS.

"From the confessions of the suspects, some of the proceeds of the fraud were sold and some were spent on eating. They admitted that there were no other victims, they only cheated at the same shop 9 times," he said.

To the police, the perpetrator Yulia Wati admitted that she was determined to commit fraud because her husband had editing knowledge that was used to manipulate evidence of fictitious transfers.

"The reason his wife is committing fraud is because her husband can edit fictitious transfer evidence. So his wife's mode is by ordering goods, including dates, chocolate and robes, via WhatsApp messages," he explained.

"Then the husband of the suspect edited the proof of transfer and sent proof of the transfer of the payment to the victim. It turned out that after being checked by the victim, the proof of the transfer was proof of a fake transfer or edits by the suspect. This act was carried out by the suspect 9 times in transactions," he stated.

During the arrest of the two suspects, the Special Anti Bandit Team (Tekab) 308 Presisi Satreskrim Metro Police secured evidence in the form of a smartphone used by the suspect to communicate with the victim.

Then, a motorbike unit used by the two suspects. Two pieces of robes and 9 pieces of proof of delivery of goods from the Post and Giro.

In order to account for their actions, the couple who committed the fraud were secured at the Metro Police Headquarters along with their evidence. Both are threatened by Article 378 of the Criminal Code with a maximum sentence of four years in prison. (*)