Two Men Arrested For Repeated Robbery Of Bali Villa Closed By Pandemic

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Ubud Police have successfully arrested and charged two men with the robbery of a villa resort in Peliatan Village. The Head of the Ubud Police, Kompol I Made Tama, told reporters on Friday 8th July that the pair were behind a calculated and repeated robbery of Avilla Ubud during lockdown.

The men have been named as I Komang Sucipta Yasa, 18, and his friend Kesa Frebian Arsa, 21, both of whom live in Madenan Village, Tejakula District, Buleleng. Reporters heard how the pair slowly emptied the villa suites of furniture, tech, and decor over the course of 20 visits across the 6 months of heavy lockdown. 

Tama revealed how Yasa was an employee of the villa before the pandemic meaning he knew exactly where to find items he wanted to steal and how to access the buildings. The duo is said to have driven to Avilla in a pick-up truck and loaded the vehicle to the brim on each visit. The villa has been closed due to the pandemic and there was little security presence.

Although the robberies took place over the course of six months, the theft of the villa was only realized on the 27th of May 2022 when the owner of the villa recalled staff to begin reopening procedures. It was only when staff re-entered the building did they discover that the whole property had been ransacked.

Tama explained to reporters how the three staff had their suspicions aroused when as approached the villa they saw that the window to Room 801 was smashed. Upon entering the building and walking through to Room 801 they found that the whole room had been emptied. 

The staff immediately contacted Ubud Police who arrived on the scene and conducted a search of the villa’s rooms and communal areas. Tama said ‘The suspect took things belonging to Avilla Ubud [from] 8 rooms. The villa was empty, taken up to 20 times. So the theft was carried out in stages…After taking the items in the villa, they continued to be sold in Kerobokan, Batubulan’. 

Yasa and Arsa got away with 5 TV tables, 1 study table, 7 nightstands, 4 King Koil premium mattresses, 6 Sofia premium mattresses, a TV table, and 7-bed lamps from the rooms alone. There were also items stolen from communal and staff areas like desks, fridges, and other valuable items. 

Police Chief Tama was accompanied by the Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Ubud Police, Iptu Ngakan Ketut Erawan, and the Head of the Public Relations Sub-section of the Gianyar Police, AKP. Nyoman Hendrajaya at Friday’s press conference.

Erawan and Hendrajaya told reporters that the thieves have been charged with Article 363 and Article 65 of the Indonesian Criminal Code in relation to robbery. They are both facing up to 7-years in prison.

The investigation remains ongoing to find the villa’s stolen furniture. The owner of the villa is said to have suffered a loss of IDR 300 million. Tama explained how Yasa and Arsa have confessed to selling the stolen goods at cheap prices to help shift them quickly. Tama said ‘He sold it for around Rp. 60 million, he has enjoyed it, it has [now] run out’.

The investigations team has contacted the buyers whose names have been handed over by Yasa and Arsa. The buyers are potentially compromised in this situation too if it comes to light that they knowingly bought stolen goods. The evidence and stolen goods that have been located are currently being stored at the Ubud Police Headquarters warehouse until the investigation is complete. 

Avilla Ubud is located in the heart of the city’s tourist hub and according to its GoogleMaps listing had dozens of 5-star reviews before the pandemic began.

Many of the area’s small and locally owned villas had no option but to shut down when lockdown was announced; these same businesses are slowly emerging as the peak season is getting into full flow.