British Tourist In Bali Caught Red-Handed In Canggu Boutique Theft

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A British tourist in Bali has been caught red-handed stealing goods from a boutique clothing store in the tourist resort of Canggu.

The news comes as immigration officials in Bali have spoken out about their strict stance on foreigners breaking the law on the inland. 

The British tourist with the BPG, was caught red-handed stealing a bra at Lace And Basics, Jalan Pantai Batu Mejan on the afternoon of Wednesday 22nd May. 

BPG was caught by the shop assistant, who placed them under the equivalent of citizen arrest until the police arrived on the scene.

After receiving a public complaint, North Kuta Police officers immediately went to the store to arrest the perpetrator. Reports show that at the crime scene, employees had secured the perpetrator in a back room. 

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Speaking to the press, the Badung Police Public Relations Head, Ipda Putu Sukarma, confirmed on Thursday 23rd May that the perpetrator had been arrested at the North Kuta Police Headquarters and was being questioned by investigators. The bra stolen by the perpetrator was from an expensive brand priced at IDR 1,100,000. 

Sukarma said “Lace And Basics explained that they had identified and detained a foreign national who was suspected of committing theft. The victim reported this to the North Kuta Police via telephone.”

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The police have revealed little details about BPG, only that they are believed to have been struggling with mental health issues and were once involved in a domestic violence case. Sukarma told the media, “Regarding the motive for the theft, I have not yet received confirmation from the North Kuta Police.”

The news comes as top immigration officials in Bali have reiterated their commitment to ensuring that foreigners on the island not only obey the rules of their visa permits but also Indonesian law.

Statements issued by the Director of Immigration Supervision and Enforcement, Saffar Muhammad Godam, confirm that Immigration will take seriously any and all violations that contradict the stipulations of a foreigner’s visa in Bali and Indonesia more broadly. 

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He noted specifically that foreigners who have been arrested and convicted of a crime in Indonesia have their visas revoked the moment they enter prison.

Once their sentence is completed whether it be a matter of days, months or years, they are handed off from the police to the immigration authorities pending further mention before inevitable deportation. 

The story of BPG’s theft at Lace & Basics is sadly a tale that is becoming increasingly common, especially in Canggu.

Almost every week, stores are shared on citizen journalism social media accounts of foreigners stealing high-ticket items from the independent boutiques that are based in both Canggu and Uluwatu. 

Perhaps what thieves are failing to consider is that almost all shops and businesses in Bali, including small family-run corner stores, now have CCTV cameras throughout their premises for these very reasons.

Thieves are not only very easy to identify from this footage but also pretty easy to track down. Store owners and cafe owners who have had items stolen or bills left unpaid quickly report these incidents to the police and share the images with citizen journalists and social media accounts to track down the individuals and hold them to justice as quickly as possible. 

While in some instances restorative justice is carried out, Bali Police take theft seriously and deal with it directly as a criminal offence.

With local Balinese communities becoming increasingly frustrated with the behavior of a small but significant minority of foreigners on the island, police are keen to crack down on bad behavior as quickly as possible.

Earlier this week, the Indonesian Minister for Tourism and Creative Economies, Sandiaga Uno, told reporters that he is calling on tourism stakeholders, police, and immigration to keep a close eye on foreigners who are at risk of behaving badly; sadly, he specially mentioned Russian and Ukrainian tourists after three men were arrested in connection with a huge drugs lab being run in the heart of Canggu.