Australian tourists holidaying in Bali have allegedly been targeted by a jewellery-snatching thief on a motorbike while they were walking alongside a road.
The entire ordeal was caught on CCTV, showing the shocking moment a 68-year-old man walking with his wife were suddenly attacked.
The pair were strolling along Werkudara Street in the tourist hub of Legian, just before 9pm on August 21, when a motorcycle rider slowed beside them.
Suddenly, the thief reached out and grabbed the man’s neck, snatching the gold necklaces he was wearing, before speeding away.
Not quite knowing what had hit them, the man tries to run after the motorbike but quickly gives up.
The terrifying vision was shared for the first time this week.
The pair were simply heading back to their hotel after having dinner on the Friday night when the incident occurred, theDaily Mail reported.
The man’s gold chain was apparently worth more than $17,000, with one weighing 25 grams and the other 50 grams.
Kuta Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit are investigating the incident.
Denpasar Police spokesperson Gede Adi Saputra Jaya said officers were working hard to find the missing jewellery.
“Investigators have visited and examined the crime scene, taken statements from the victim and witnesses, and reviewed CCTV footage,” he said in a statement to theBali Times.
“Further investigation is underway.”
Jewellery theft in Bali has been a common problem for many years now, but some have said it has really ramped up recently.
Australian travel influencer Samantha, who goes by see.it.with.sam, regularly shares information about Bali online and said that Balinese locals had warned her about the crime.
Necklace theft was of particular concern, she said, as a person’s neck could be seriously injured if the crime was violent.
“The one thing that’s really causing a lot of problems at the moment on the island is phone snatching and jewellery snatching,” she said in a recent video.
“It’s really, really bad at the moment, not gonna lie. I’ve had so many of my local friends warn me.”
She said it was really important for tourists to keep their jewellery hidden while walking on the street and to keep your phone inside your bag.
Another huge tip was to carry valuable items on the arm away from the roadside in orfer to help prevent potential thefts.
The Smartraveller website warns Australians to ‘exercise a high degree of caution’ while visiting Indonesia.
“Theft, robbery, pickpocketing, bag and phone snatching can happen. These crimes can sometimes be violent,” the travel website states.
“Be careful of thieves on motorcycles, especially if you’re walking, in up-market shopping malls, in crowded public transport, at traffic lights, if you’re in a stopped car, at bars and nightclubs, when entering and leaving accommodation – including villas in Bali.”
Smartraveller also advised visitors to “keep bags and valuables out of sight”.
“If you’re walking, use footpaths, stay away from kerb and carry your bag away from the road,” it said.
According to local media, bag snatchings are among the most common incidents of theft against tourists in Bali.
Thieves reportedly drive motor vehicles around areas where tourists are known to walk at night and strike at an opportunistic moment.
It comes after a female tourist who was mugged in the coastal hotspot Uluwatu, close to Bingin Beach, earlier this year.
CCTV footage shows the woman walking alone in Pecatu Village on the evening June 28 before she is approached by a man on a motorcycle who sidles up from behind and snatches her bag, according to The Bali Sun.
Angus Kidman, travel expert at Finder, previously told news.com.au that travel insurance can cover you for a stolen phone or wallet, but that won’t always be the case with cheaper policies, “so check the terms carefully before signing up”.
“Once you have found suitable insurance, make sure you store your policy details somewhere other than your phone – get a printout and leave details with family,” Mr Kidman said.
“And make sure you report the theft to local police and keep notes of when and where you did that.”
Tourists can report a crime or contact the emergency services in Bali on 110. Switchboard operators are available in English.