KARANGASEM, Bali — In an operation spanning multiple regencies, Karangasem Police have arrested two men believed to be part of a criminal duo specializing in snatching belongings from foreign tourists across Bali’s popular eastern corridor.
The arrests follow a targeted investigation into a pattern of thefts that had begun to tarnish the visitor experience in areas leading to key destinations like Padangbai Port.
The suspects, identified as INB (26) and IWG (29), both from Kubu, Karangasem, were captured in separate locations on Monday, January 5. Police described their method as brazen and mobile.
According to Karangasem Police Chief AKBP Joseph Edward Purba, the pair did not operate in a single location but were “specialists across regencies,” with their alleged spree covering areas from Karangasem and Klungkung to Denpasar and Gianyar.
The case that led to their capture involved two tourists from Uzbekistan.
The victims were reportedly riding a motorbike towards Padangbai Beach last October when the suspects allegedly forced their vehicle to collide with them on the Denpasar-Padangbai highway.
In the ensuing chaos, the duo snatched an iPhone 16 Pro Max mounted on the tourists’ bike holder before fleeing toward Denpasar, causing an estimated loss of Rp 21 million (approximately US$1,350).
Following the report, a joint investigation team from the Karangasem Police Criminal Investigation Unit and the Bali Regional Police’s Mobile Reserves worked to track the suspects. INB was apprehended in Denpasar, while IWG was arrested in his home district of Kubu.
Both men are now in custody and have been charged under Article 479 of the Indonesian Criminal Code concerning theft with violence, which carries a maximum penalty of nine years’ imprisonment.
For the global community of tourists and expatriates in Bali, the arrests signal a focused effort by local authorities to address crimes targeting visitors, aiming to secure the island’s reputation as it continues to rebuild its vital tourism sector.
