A 26-year-old British national has been arrested in Bali after allegedly stealing a shoulder bag from a French tourist at a popular island resort bar, before attempting to evade law enforcement by hiding in dense hillside bushes.
The suspect, identified by his initials MAO, was apprehended by local authorities following a brief manhunt in the hills of Nusa Penida, a picturesque island located southeast of Bali’s main landmass in the Klungkung Regency.
Late-Night Theft and Unauthorised Transactions
The incident took place during the early hours of Sunday, 12 July 2026, at the Drift Bar, located in Banjar Nyuh within Ped Village. According to local authorities, the victim, a 52-year-old French citizen identified as WLL, did not initially realise that his belongings had been compromised during his time at the venue.
Nusa Penida Police Chief, Commissioner I Ketut Kesuma Jaya, confirmed the timeline of the event, stating that the crime took place at approximately 3:00 a.m. Central Indonesian Time (WITA).
“The victim, with the initials WLL (52), a French citizen, only realised he was the victim of a suspected theft after receiving a notification that an unauthorised transaction had been made using his credit card,” Commissioner Kesuma Jaya explained in an official statement released on Monday, 13 July 2026.
Upon discovering the fraudulent activity on his account, the French national immediately sought legal recourse, formally reporting the theft to the Nusa Penida Police Station later that morning at approximately 11:30 a.m. WITA. Officers from the Criminal Investigation Unit were immediately deployed to track down the suspect.
Hillside Manhunt and Arrest
Following a swift preliminary investigation, police successfully tracked MAO’s movements. Upon realising that law enforcement personnel were closing in on him, the British national allegedly attempted to flee on foot, heading into the rugged terrain of the Bukit Tinggar hills.
A coordinated search operation was subsequently launched across the area, with officers combing the landscape. In an effort to evade capture, the suspect concealed himself inside thick bushes. However, his hiding place was eventually compromised by searching officers, leading to his arrest without further incident.
During a search conducted at the scene of the arrest, police recovered a variety of items confirmed to belong to the victim, alongside a quantity of local currency. Among the seized evidence was the victim’s shoulder bag, an iPhone 8, a portable power bank, a charging cable, a lighter, and Rp 719,000 in cash.
Following his apprehension, MAO was transported back to the Nusa Penida Police Headquarters. The British national remains in custody, where he is undergoing rigorous questioning by investigators from the Criminal Investigation Unit as authorities prepare the legal case against him.
