Bekasi busker arrested after allegedly trying to burn homeowner's gate over refused donation

Police in Indonesia have arrested a 20-year-old street musician accused of attempting to set fire to a resident’s home in Bekasi, a city on the eastern outskirts of Jakarta, after allegedly becoming upset when the homeowner did not give money to a group of buskers.

The suspect, identified by the initials AFH, was detained following an investigation into the incident, which took place in the Jatiwaringin area of Pondok Gede, Bekasi City, West Java.

A video of the incident circulated widely on social media, showing three street musicians arriving at the victim’s house to perform for money. Footage appears to show one member of the group setting fire to an object and placing it on the front gate of the property while another pretended to play a guitar and sing.

The group then left the scene.

, local residents later noticed flames on the gate and acted quickly to extinguish the fire before it could spread.

“The perpetrator has been detained at the police station,” AKBP Andi M Iqbal, Head of Criminal Investigation at the Bekasi Metro Police, said on Thursday.

Police said the incident occurred at approximately 4.30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, 23 June.

AKP Suparyono, Head of Public Relations at the Bekasi Metro Police, said the attempted arson was first discovered by a neighbour of the victim.

“It is true that several street musicians were in front of the victim’s house, and one of them set fire to a piece of paper and attached it to the fibre panel installed on the front gate of the victim’s house,” Suparyono said.

“As a result of the incident, the fibre panel on the victim’s gate was damaged after being burned by the perpetrator,” he added.

Investigators believe the act was motivated by anger after the occupants of the house allegedly declined to give money to the group while they were busking outside the property.

Following reports of the incident, officers conducted a crime scene examination and interviewed several witnesses, including the homeowner.

Police subsequently identified AFH as a suspect and tracked him to his residence.

“The operational team immediately proceeded to the suspect’s residence and successfully apprehended the individual believed to be responsible,” Suparyono said.

“The suspect was then taken to Pondok Gede Police Station for further investigation.”

Police have not announced whether the two other individuals seen in the video have also been identified or are facing investigation.

The case remains under investigation.