North Kuta Police have a arrested an Algerian tourist for stealing a bag belonging to another foreign tourist at a Seminyak restaurant.
Badung Police Superintendent Ruddi Setiawan confirmed the arrest of Algerian national Khalifa Larbi to the local press on Wednesday.
Police released CCTV footage apparently showing Larbi in action at Seminyak restaurant Char-Char Bar & Grill on Jl. Oberoi to local newspaper Tribun Bali. Watch at 1:40 and you’ll see some bag-grabbing happen.
According to police, this was not Larbi’s first time stealing since he came to Bali.
The Algerian is suspected of being involved in 10 to 16 similar instances of theft in Bali, according to police.
“The suspect committed theft, 10 to 16 times. And the suspect has just been here since September 2016. Just four months in Bali,” North Kuta Police Commissioner Pius X Febry Aceng Loda said on Wednesday, as quoted by Tribun Bali.
In addition to hitting Char Char, Larbi also allegedly stole from foreign tourists just down the road at Red Carpet Champagne Bar, police say.
“This suspect was targeting foreigners as his victims. And from just two crime scenes, it turns out we’ve found dozens of bags in suspect’s hotel. The suspect was staying in a hotel in Kuta,” Loda explained.
Police say they have secured evidence from Larbi in the form of a black leather bag, three keys, an Orobianco bag, and cash in the form of Rp 260 million and to top it all off, USD7.
But the investigation is not yet over.
“We are still conducting our investigation about this perp who would act as a guest at restaurants. Then he would directly lurk around other foreign guests,” Setiawan said.
Under Indonesia’s Criminal Code, Larbi could be facing five years behind bars, according to Setiawan.
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