August 10, 2022 – Bali police arrested five men who are believed to be Kuta’s most frequent phone thieves. The five men were paraded to the Ground Zero Monument, the Bali Bombing Memorial. They were shown to media and neighbourhood watch group members while wearing orange prison overalls and having their hands and feet chained.
The men were all “old players” in the tourism scam business, according to Denpasar Police Chief Kombes Pol Bambang Yugo Pamungkas, who presided over the news briefing. They have been preying on tourists for their expensive cameras and iPhones for years. Nevertheless, they have stepped up their efforts, particularly during this busy holiday season since the borders reopened in February.
I Gede Eka Jaya Putra, 33; I Ketut Ririg, 30; I Wayan Jangkep, 25; I Komang Budiasih, 25; and I Wayan Gondol, 26; are the names of the five males. All five are thought to be natives of East Bali’s Karangasem Regency. The group was in charge of three incidences of phone theft that have been publicly revealed, according to Police Chief Pamungkas. Although these incidents have not been publicized, it is believed that the gang has raped dozens more victims and attempted to rob even more.
Police Chief Pamungkas said during the press conference that two of the men had previously been detained and accused of similar robberies. According to him, two of the men had been detained in connection with 12 other similar crimes.
He promised that police would take concrete, immediate action against criminals operating under the Denpasar Police’s purview, particularly in the tourist hotspots of Kuta and South Kuta. He pleaded for anyone who believed they may have witnessed a crime in progress or been the victim of one to come forward.
After Bali police arrested the thieves, police and pecalang have enhanced patrols and surveillance around Kuta Beach Road and Jalan Poppies. Bali is a safe destination for visitors, and the authorities are making great efforts to keep crime off the streets.
