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New York Post
08-07-2025
- New York Post
Mysterious ‘tire traps' plague city streets as locals take matters into their own hands
A popular city has locals taking to the streets to help crack down on the 'tire traps' that are scattered across busy roads. Volunteers in Jakarta, Indonesia, have been picking up nails, threaded bolts and scraps of umbrella frames, according to The Associated Press (AP). It is thought the mysterious sharp metal pieces are intentionally left by vandals to damage the tires of vehicles on main roads. What started as a few community members involved in addressing the issue has grown into a movement of locals cleaning the streets called 'Sapu Bersih,' or the Clean Sweep. Siswanto, a Jakarta resident, told AP he has been picking up metal for five years after his own encounters with the tire traps. 'From 2010 to 2016, we collected four tons of nail traps from Jakarta and other areas, like Bekasi,' said Siswanto. 'We collected them from the volunteers.' 5 Volunteers in Jakarta, Indonesia, have been picking up nails, threaded bolts and scraps of umbrella frames. AP 5 It is thought the mysterious sharp metal pieces are intentionally left by vandals to damage the tires of vehicles on main roads. AP Siswanto said many volunteers take turns picking up metal before or after work. This apparently occurs all over the city. There were over 10 million people living in Jakarta in 2010, according to Jakarta Investment Center. Jakarta Traffic Police Chief Komarudin told the AP he believes the metal is intended to force bikers to the side of a road with a flat — making riders more vulnerable to serious crimes like robbery. 5 'From 2010 to 2016, we collected four tons of nail traps from Jakarta and other areas, like Bekasi,' said Siswanto. AP Some locals suspect the traps may have been set by tire repair shops, as metal was found in close proximity. Motorbike taxi driver Pandu Dewanata told the AP he's had at least three tires hit the traps in the past year. 'It is suspicious after hitting a nail trap — 100 meters from where we hit there was a tire patchier,' said Dewanata. 5 There were over 10 million people living in Jakarta in 2010, according to Jakarta Investment Center. AP 5 Some locals suspect the traps may have been set by tire repair shops, as metal was found in close proximity. AP 'That is suspicious. But I am not accusing, no.' Police have found, while investigating the traps, that there are some nuts or bolts that could accidentally fall from passing vehicles — but many objects appear to be deliberately bent. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Asahi Shimbun
26-06-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
Jakarta volunteers hit the road to sweep away sneaky nail traps
A member of a volunteer group called 'Team Saber', an abbreviation of Indonesian words 'Sapu Bersih' or 'Clean Sweep', shows nails and other sharp metal objects collected from a street using a magnet, in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo) JAKARTA--Clad in reflective vests and waving traffic control sticks, a spirited crew on a main road in central Jakarta cheerfully waved to people as they cleared hidden hazards with iron bars and circle magnets tied to ropes. The volunteer team covered half a kilometer (0.3 miles) and scooped up a haul of sharp metal including nails, threaded bolts and scraps of umbrella frames during what they considered a good Saturday morning's work making the streets of Indonesia's capital safer from 'nail traps.' Jakarta's main roads are notorious for the patches of sharp metal pieces that are believed to be spread by vandals intent on damaging the tires of cars and motorbikes, usually on main roads where traffic moves fast. Siswanto, a West Jakarta resident, began collecting metal from the streets in 2010. Inspired by his efforts and fueled by their own bad experiences with the pesky tire traps, more Jakarta road users joined in. The effort soon grew into a community known as the Sapu Bersih, also known as the Clean Sweep or Saber community. 'From 2010 to 2016, we collected 4 tons of the nail traps from Jakarta and other areas, like Bekasi. We collected them from the volunteers,' said Siswanto, now 51, who used a rope tied to a magnet to collect sharp pieces as he patrolled a roadside with a fellow volunteer. After 15 years, the community members are still trying to clean the streets. They take turns before they go to their workplaces in the morning or before returning home in the evening. At least 250 grams (8.8 ounces) of metal pieces are collected every morning from several locations, Siswanto said. Jakarta Traffic Police Chief Komarudin lauded the efforts of the street sweepers who are trying to reduce the traps. 'In addition to identifying the purpose and combing the locations, the communities, such as SABER, has also volunteered to clean the roads, which deserves our appreciation,' he said. When bikers hit the patches of accumulated metal pieces, tires deflate relatively quickly. 'The nail trap is harmful. It particularly can damage tubeless tires. If it's a small hole that can still be patched. If it's a big one, it has to be replaced if not given another inner tube,' said Yoga Fajri Pratama, who does repairs. Although his shop is not close to some of the usual nail trap locations, Pratama said many bikers come to him to have tires fixed. He explained a trap does not have to be a nail, but could also be a piece of iron with a hole in the middle, like an umbrella frame cut into small pieces. Many believe the nail traps do not accumulate accidentally. There is a suspicion that troublemakers deliberately spread the tire-shredding hazards, with motorbikes a prime target. 'It is also sad to hear that someone is spreading them. That means they intentionally damage other people's tires,' Pratama said. According to one rumor circulating among Jakarta residents, nail traps could be connected to tire repair shops trying to create more business. 'It is suspicious after hitting a nail trap, 100 meters from where we hit there was a tire patcher. That is suspicious. But I am not accusing, no,' said Pandu Dewanata, a 29-year-old motorbike taxi driver who has had at least three tire punctures caused by metal fragments in the past year. Police investigating the traps have found nuts or bolts that could accidentally fall from passing vehicles, but also nails and other objects that are deliberately bent. Komarudin, the traffic police chief, suspects the sharp debris also is intended to force bikers to the side of a road with a flat and turn them into easy targets for more serious crimes such as robbery. Dian Anggraeni, 33, a taxi driver from Jakarta, joined the Clean Sweep community in 2018 when she was working as a motorbike driver. Her experience of having flat tires up to three times a day, or several days in a row, prompted her to seek a way to prevent possible accidents or repair costs caused by nail traps. Years later, she continues to feel the urge to remove the dangerous objects that keep coming back. 'When I finished sweeping nails on the road, I felt that it is enough, I had enough, and can minimize the casualties. Even after I finished it, I can find more in five or 10 minutes later,' Anggraeni said. 'It's a bit annoying too, so I want this to end. It seems like it's already over, no nail trap, but they are moving locations again. That's what makes us never finish,' Anggraeni said.
