Thieves caught on CCTV breaking into Kerobokan villa, stealing from Aussie travelers

A burglary incident targeting Australian tourists occurred at a villa in Umalas, Kerobokan on Saturday afternoon. 

Jacob Riley Sala and Daniel Desmond Claassen, both 19-year-old Australian nationals, were identified as the victims, with their misfortune recorded by CCTV cameras.

CCTV footage revealed a sequence of events involving a man dressed in a gray jacket and a helmet, who entered the premises through an unlocked front gate. His subsequent actions included entering the villa by opening the front door with force.

The captured footage showed the perpetrator absconding with a black backpack from within the villa, while an accomplice awaited on a motorcycle nearby.

Badung Police spokesman I Ketut Sudana disclosed the findings of the investigation, noting a loss of belongings totaling IDR9 million (US$578). The stolen items included AirPods and clothing belonging to the two Australian tourists.

“Identification of the motorbike’s license plate used by the perpetrator remains pending. However, we have gathered pertinent descriptions of the suspects. Our next course of action involves a thorough analysis of the CCTV recordings. Our personnel will conduct checks on the CCTV placements in the vicinity of the crime scene and endeavor to profile the suspects,” Sudana told reporters yesterday.

According to Sudana, recounting the victims’ testimony, the duo, accompanied by eight friends, had ventured to Ubud on the day of the incident at around 9:30am. The victims maintained having securely locked the villa’s door before their departure.

“Upon returning from Ubud approximately at 5pm local time, they were startled to discover the disarray within the villa premises. A subsequent inspection confirmed the disappearance of several belongings. Subsequently, the villa staff scrutinized the CCTV footage, validating the intrusion by two individuals prying open the villa’s front door,” Sudana added.

The investigation continues as authorities work towards identifying the suspects and recovering the stolen items, providing necessary support to the affected tourists.

Under Indonesian law, burglary and theft are crimes that carry a maximum of 9 years’ imprisonment.