Tourists in Bali love to hire mopeds to explore the island independently. But following a series of thefts, tourists are urged to keep their wits about them as they park their vehicles.
Tourists hiring mopeds are reminded that although Bali is a safe place to enjoy a vacation, opportunistic thieves operate in some popular destinations.
The thieves in question are from Indonesia and tourists too. CCTV footage has been shared online after police, tourists, and a bike rental provider are searching for two foreigners who stole a moped from outside The Capital Hotel on Jalan Raya Petitenget in Seminyak on Sunday afternoon.
The footage shows an Australian tourist parking his rental moped in the parking lot in front of the hotel. He parks, walks away from the bike, and appears to have forgotten his keys in the ignition.
As he walks away from the bike, two foreigners on a Honda Scoopy drive past the parked vehicle and then circle back.
The driver drops the passenger off and revs away. The passenger-come-thief approaches the moped, turns the key, and rides away.
The issue has been reported to Kuta Police, who will be looking into the issue. The moped rental provider has incurred losses of IDR 20 million. As the video has circulated online, many people have suggested that the whole saga is a setup.
Many feel it is all too convenient that the passenger on the thief’s bike could spot the key in the ignition of the parked moped as they drove by at a reasonable speed on the opposite side of the road.
That being said, it is easy enough to forget to remove the key from a moped after parking. Tourists are reminded to double-check they have their belongings and keys included and that the seat is locked and helmets are secure before leaving their rented motorcycles.
Badung Regency Police have confirmed that they have successfully arrested a local man who had stolen money and other valuable items from inside the seats of a moped parked in busy areas of the tourist resorts and surrounding communities.
I Ketut Sukaya, 54, was arrested by Badung Police on Sunday 15th October. He confessed to breaking into ten different mopeds, looking for money stored beneath.
Police tracked Sukaya down after reports were made by community members who discovered their bikes had been broken into.
In total Sukaya had stolen IDR 3,900,000 which he claims he needed due to economic hardship. He now faces up to 5 years in prison.
Helmet theft continues to be rife across the island. Most people, locals and tourists alike, leave their helmets slotted onto the mirrors of their motorcycles or clipped to the backhand rail.
Every week, there are dozens of reports and clips of CCTV footage circulating online of helmets being stolen from parked mopeds.
The stolen helmets are generally polished up and resold at fraudulent helmet shops across the island, making it difficult for many people to know they are investing in the real deal.
Everyone must obey the law and wear their helmets in Bali. An expat shared a distraught and impassioned video online last week after witnessing a fatal collision between a moped driver and a vehicle.
The moped driver had not been wearing a helmet and died of instant and catastrophic head injuries.
This sparked a conversation online where concerned Bali lovers reiterated the need for everyone to wear high-quality helmets and clip the chin strap.
All too frequently, tourists and locals are seen either not wearing a helmet or wearing a helmet without the strap clipped in.
Without the strap, in the event of a collision, the helmet flies off, leaving drivers as exposed as if they were not wearing a protection at all.
There have been at least five reported fatal motorcycle crashes in southern Bali in the last week alone.
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Shorty
Monday 23rd of October 2023
Before posting yet more Bali bashing think about your home city. Unsecured helmets and other gear probably get stolen far more than in Bali.
Thommo
Friday 20th of October 2023
KIDS AROUND 8 TO 16 YEARS OF AGE RIDE MOTORBIKES AROUND THE KEDUNGU/KEDIRI AREA JOYRIDING/SPEEDING WITH NO HELMETS AND WITH YOUNG KIDS ON BOARD.NO LICENSE/ NO REGISTRATION NO CARE. THEIR ANTICS AND BLATANT STUPIDITY ARE BEYOND BELIEF. YET THEY GO/RACE THROUGH PECELANG PAY AREAS TO THE BEACHES AND REV UP WITH THEIR PATHETIC LITTLE MODIFIED MUFFLERS. COULD'NT THE PECELANG/POLISI TAKE THEIR KEYS AND GET THEM TO RING THEIR IRRESPONSIBLE PARENTS TO COME AND PICK THE BIKE UP IN 2-3 MONTHS. NO NO NO THATS TO HARD. AND A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF TOURISTS ARE BEING CALLED OUT FOR NOT WEARING HELMETS OR RIDING WITHOUT A LICENSE. WELCOME TO THE WILD WEST (BALI) WHERE THERE ARE NO LAWS/RULES FOR LOCALS. GET A GRIP BALI.
Exp
Saturday 21st of October 2023
@Thommo, This is correct and an increasing problem everywhere. In Denpasar I see underage children drive to school themselves these days, 3 on a motorbike, no helmets, speeding, zig zagging. the police is chasing the "walking ATM's" while locals do what they want.
Mr Bear Snr
Friday 20th of October 2023
A few years back we had our Australian Helmet stolen from our bike inside our hotel, Sayang Maha Mertha. CCTV picked it up and one of our security guys recognized the Javanese thief. He recovered our helmet personally and dealt with the thief in the traditional Balinese way. Say no more.
JR
Thursday 19th of October 2023
I came here 40 years ago and they stole my helmet
Dman
Thursday 19th of October 2023
Hmmmm who would have guessed another motorcycle crash and death in Indonesia