Police in Bali are cautioning residents against going out, as they highlight a crime spike in recent weeks.
Djuhandhani Rahardjo Puro, director of the general crimes unit at the Bali Police, revealed that at least 18 crimes took place across the province in the past week, ranging from motorbike theft to fraud. He also said 34 cases were reported the week prior and that most of these crimes happened between 2pm and 10pm.
“As we lessen going out for things that are not too important, we will also avoid crimes of course, eliminating opportunities for people with bad intentions,” Bali Police Chief Putu Jayan Danu Putra said yesterday, adding that more officers are being deployed for regular patrols.
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Meanwhile, Denpasar City Police Chief Jansen Avitus said the public must take an active role in protecting their communities, noting that dire economic situations exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic are increasing the probability for criminal activity.
“Because with this situation amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it makes it more probable that people will commit crimes because of economic grievances. We should still anticipate,” Jansen said.
