Bandung Police Chief Vows to Guard 'Every Inch' of the City Amid Street Crime Fears
Bandung, West Java, has come under the spotlight following suspected repeated incidents of street crime.
Several social media posts in recent days have claimed that Bandung is experiencing a begal (street robbery) emergency.
A map has even circulated showing areas prone to street robbery, dividing parts of Bandung into four categories of risk.
Responding to the claims, Bandung Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner Dedi Supriyadi rejected the narrative built on social media, including the crime-risk map.
“Regarding the map that has been circulated, which divides Bandung City into red, yellow or green categories, first of all I say that it does not come from the police. Secondly, I will fully safeguard Bandung City, guarding every inch of Bandung City by deploying the National Police,” Dedi said at Bandung Metropolitan Police Headquarters on Tuesday (21/7).
“I repeat, by deploying the police among the community to guarantee a sense of security,” he added.
Dedi urged residents to remain calm and not be provoked by the street crime narratives going viral on social media. He assured that the police had anticipated the matter with routine patrols during vulnerable hours.
19 street crime suspects
Dedi did not deny that street robberies have occurred in Bandung. However, according to Dedi, there have also been traffic accidents and murders that were portrayed by certain individuals as street robbery incidents in the city.
On the same day, Bandung Metropolitan Police Headquarters announced 19 suspects linked to street crimes who had been taken into police custody. Those arrested in connection with a total of 15 street crime cases were detained during July 2026.
“Of the 15 street crime cases that have caused such alarm in Bandung City, first there were 8 cases of motorbike theft. Then 6 cases of theft with violence, and from those 15 cases, we have successfully secured 19 perpetrators with various sharp weapons, as you can see, along with 11 motorbikes,” he said.
Dedi said that not all incidents exposed on social media were genuine street crimes. Some were hoax reports that were verified as false during investigative checks.
“When the public reports street crime, not all of it, not everything reported by the public contains the truth. For example, some time ago there was an accident, a single-vehicle accident involving a teenage boy whose motorbike was damaged and who suffered minor injuries, but he was reluctant to go home and claimed he had been robbed,” he said.
Dedi said Bandung City is currently in a safe and conducive condition. Residents are free to carry on with their activities as usual.
“We urge the people of Bandung City not to worry, not to feel anxious any longer, especially Bandung residents themselves as well as those who will be holidaying in Bandung City,” he said.