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Image: Jalan Blambangan Kuta. Credit: Google Maps

Two thieves that targeted foreigners were caught by police two months after being released from prison for the same crime. They were arrested after committing 13 crimes since being set free.

The two men, I K D aka Mang Pong, 20, and I G A aka Junior, 24, were arrested in a hostel in South Denpasar area, on Monday. Two days before being arrested, they had snatched a purse from a Chinese tourist, Meng Lan, 38, on Saturday night a week ago.

The Head of Kuta Police, Commissioner I Nyoman Wirajaya, stated that the victim was passing through Jalan Blambangan by motorcycle on January 20 at around 9pm. At that time, the victim was riding a motorcycle with her husband. Then the suspects, also riding a motorcycle, suddenly appeared and snatched her purse from her. The victim’s husband tried to pursue the suspects on his bike, but they managed to escape.

“Nearby residents, who witnessed the scene, suggested that should report the incident to the Kuta Police Headquarters (which is just around the corner. Ed),” the police commissioner said, accompanied by the Head of Kuta Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Inspector Aryo Seno, at a press conference at Ground Zero, Kuta District on Monday.

After receiving the report, Kuta police officers investigated the case. They questioned witnesses and watched the security footage near the crime scene. The CCTV footage showed that the thieves were riding an N-Max with the number plate well visible.

“We found out the suspects’ identities. We also found their hiding place. Then we pursued them to their dwelling on Jalan Juwet Sari Gang Mawar Blok F, South Denpasar, around the Suwung Kauh area,” he said to nusabali.com.

When the police searched in the suspects’ hostel, they found evidence, which was more than Rp 2 million cash, 10 iPhones, and more valuables. The police also found the N-Max motorcycle that was used by the suspects.

The men admitted to the police that they had snatched the Chinese tourist’s purse. They also admitted that they were just out of prison for 2 months and during that time, they had committed 13 crimes. They had snatched a variety of objects on Jalan Sunset Road Legian-Kuta (4 times), Jalan Raya Kuta (2 times), Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai Sanur-Denpasar Selatan (3 times), Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai Kuta in front of Boshe (1 time), Jalan Majapahit Gang Suli Kuta (1 time), Jalan Merthanadi Kuta (1 time), and on Jalan Blambangan Kuta (1 time).

The suspects said that they had thrown away the victims’ identity cards in the Tanah Kilap area, near Kuta. So the police asked them to show the location. When they arrived in the location, the suspects tried to escape and police had no option but to shoot them both in their left legs to prevent them from doing so.

“These two suspects only targeted foreign tourists. Their modus operandi is following the tourists that were out at night and were carrying a purse or mobile phone,” he said.