A restaurant employee’s motorbike was stolen from a busy street in Canggu, in an incident captured on multiple CCTV cameras that shows two men casually walking off with the vehicle after apparently spotting it left unlocked.
The theft occurred on Jalan Pantai Berawa, Tibubeneng Village, North Kuta District, Badung Regency, in an area frequented by both tourists and locals. Police say surveillance footage from the scene captured the two suspects making off with the victim’s vehicle.
How the Theft Happened
“The victim parked his motorbike on the sidewalk from the afternoon without locking the handlebar, then left it while he went in to work. The perpetrators spotted the opportunity and immediately took off with it,” said North Kuta Police Sector Chief Kompol I Ketut Sukadana on Monday, July 27, 2026.
The victim, identified as I Wayan Eka Saputra, 24, a student from Karangasem working at the restaurant, only realized his Yamaha Aerox was missing when he finished his shift that night. “When he was about to head home at around 7:30pm, the motorbike was no longer at the location. The victim came directly to North Kuta Police Sector to file an official report,” Sukadana said.
What the CCTV Footage Shows
According to footage reviewed from the Bokashi intersection, the two suspects approached from the western side of Jalan Pantai Berawa. One of the men got off his own vehicle, approached the parked motorbike, turned it around, and pushed it away on foot heading north.
“From CCTV footage at the Pura Puseh intersection, both suspects were seen fleeing south. One of them rode the victim’s motorbike while pushing it forward with his feet, heading toward the Tegal Gundul shortcut,” Sukadana explained.
Investigation Underway
Police say they have obtained descriptions of both suspects and continue investigating the case. Sukadana estimated the victim’s total loss at approximately Rp 20 million (roughly $1,300) for the stolen black Yamaha Aerox.
“The victim’s loss is around Rp 20 million, since his black Yamaha Aerox was taken by the suspects. Our Criminal Investigation team has already processed the scene and gathered CCTV evidence to track down the perpetrators,” Sukadana said.
Why This Matters for Anyone Parking a Scooter in Bali
For the tens of thousands of tourists and expats who rely on rented or owned motorbikes to get around Bali daily, this case is a pointed reminder that opportunistic theft doesn’t require an isolated or quiet location, it happened on a busy, well-trafficked street, targeting a bike left unlocked for several hours while the owner was at work.
The most basic and effective prevention step remains the simplest one: always engage the steering lock (kunci stang), even for short stops, and consider an additional disc lock for motorbikes parked for extended periods, such as during a work shift or a long beach session. In areas like Berawa and Canggu, where dense foot and vehicle traffic can make opportunistic theft blend in easily, a few extra seconds securing a bike is far cheaper than the Rp 20 million lesson this victim is now facing.
