Denpasar Man Arrested for Burgling Dozens of Villas in Ubud
I Gede Suparma was arrested by police for burgling dozens of villas in Ubud District, Gianyar Regency, Bali. The Denpasar man began his criminal activities in 2024.
“He burgled 23 villas in the Ubud area. We have secured the perpetrator and he is now undergoing legal proceedings,” said Gianyar Police Chief AKBP Chandra Kesuma during a press conference at his office on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.
Chandra revealed that Suparma targeted occupied villas, only acting after ensuring residents were absent. The 58-year-old man, who has a fondness for online gambling, always carried out his thefts during the early morning hours. “This perpetrator has been active since 2024. When the villas were empty of residents, he would enter and then burgle them,” he added.
The exposure of Suparma’s activities began with reports from villa residents in the Ubud area. A total of 20 villa residents reported missing jewellery kept in their villas.
After receiving these reports, police immediately launched an investigation. Armed with evidence from CCTV footage from several villas, police eventually identified Suparma. The man was then arrested without resistance at his home.
“We have not yet calculated the loss of gold belonging to the victims as the price of gold constantly changes and is currently high. The gold quality also varies,” said Chandra.
Fifty-Eight Criminal Suspects During Early 2026
Gianyar Police revealed 61 criminal cases during the implementation of Operasi Sikat Agung 2026. A total of 58 suspects were arrested in the operation, which took place from January to February 2026.
Chandra explained that Operasi Sikat Agung was conducted to reduce the crime rate that was concerning the community, particularly theft cases. The operation involved the Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of Gianyar Police along with personnel from police stations within Gianyar Police’s jurisdiction.
“From the results of the operation conducted together with the police stations, we successfully uncovered 61 cases with 58 suspects,” said Chandra.
Most of the cases uncovered involved theft offences. Chandra detailed 14 cases of motorised vehicle theft, 21 cases of theft with aggravating circumstances, 22 cases of theft with violence or ordinary theft, one case of theft with force, and three cases of minor theft.
Police also secured various pieces of evidence from dozens of criminal cases. These included 41 motorcycles, one car, 22 mobile phones, 42 pieces of jewellery, gas cylinders, and cash totalling Rp 13,042,000.
For their actions, the suspects were charged under Article 476 of the Criminal Code with a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment. Theft with violence cases were charged under Article 479 of the Criminal Code with a maximum sentence of nine years’ imprisonment.
Suspects in cases of theft with aggravating circumstances were charged under Article 477 of the Criminal Code with a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment. For minor theft, suspects were charged under Article 478 of the Criminal Code.
“We appeal to the public to always increase vigilance, ensure vehicles are locked properly, and avoid leaving valuable items in easily accessible locations,” Chandra concluded.