Seven Suitcases Belonging to Thai Tourists Stolen During Bromo Trip, Losses Reach Hundreds of Millions of Rupiah
Seven suitcases containing valuable belongings of Thai tourists were stolen by thieves during a holiday in the Mount Bromo area, Probolinggo Regency, East Java. The losses are estimated to reach hundreds of millions of rupiah.
Jhonni, the travel agent accompanying the Thai tourists, said the theft occurred while the group’s vehicle was parked at the Sukapura Sub-district pavilion in Probolinggo Regency on Sunday (15/2).
The incident began when the group was taken to Bromo using a Toyota Hiace minibus. Upon arriving at the bus stop pavilion area, the driver and tourists briefly disembarked. All suitcases and belongings were stored inside the locked vehicle. However, when they returned, the previously locked car door was difficult to open.
“When it was opened, the inside was in disarray. The suitcases that had been neatly arranged were scattered about. After checking, seven suitcases were missing,” said Jhonni on Monday (16/2).
Panic ensued. The tourists even accused the travel company of being behind the theft, as there were no obvious signs of damage to the vehicle.
The situation only changed after one of the suitcases was tracked via GPS to Bogowonto Street, Kedopok Sub-district, Probolinggo. Jhonni and the Thai tourist group immediately headed to the location.
“The last detected point was on Bogowonto Street, Kedopok Sub-district, Probolinggo City,” he said.
They also reported the matter to Probolinggo Police. Officers deployed dozens of personnel to the location and conducted a search of a suspect’s residence. However, the suitcases have not yet been found, and the GPS signal has reportedly disappeared.
Based on data collected, the victims’ losses are estimated at hundreds of millions of rupiah. A number of valuable items were reported missing, ranging from passports and cash to electronic devices.
A red bag belonging to a victim named Kanthuma Puk, containing make-up, clothing and a wallet with Rp3,251,046 in cash, was also taken. A black-and-red backpack belonging to Chinnapat Jadcharoen was likewise stolen. Inside were a Ricoh GR IV camera valued at Rp26,550,209, an iPhone 13 Pro, clothing and earphones.
Meanwhile, a black backpack belonging to Ananya Seeda containing an iPad Air 5, a Redmi Note 15 and clothing was also targeted. Two other bags belonging to Naowarat and Sawatphiphatphon containing clothing were also missing. Additionally, a black backpack belonging to Chanidapa Pavichievac containing clothing was reported stolen.
One of the victims, Kathuma Puk, expressed deep disappointment over the incident. She said the loss had a significant impact on her return plans, as her passport was also taken.
“I am very disappointed with what I have experienced. As a result of the loss, I am having difficulty arranging a passport for my return journey. Can the police recover my missing belongings?” said Kathuma.
The Head of Criminal Investigation at Probolinggo Police, AKP I Made Kembar Mertadana, confirmed that the victims’ report had been officially received through the Integrated Police Service Centre (SPKT) and is now under intensive investigation.
“We have received the report. We will make every effort to handle this case,” said Made.
He assured that his team was moving swiftly to conduct a series of investigations, from processing the crime scene, interviewing witnesses, to reviewing CCTV footage in the vicinity of the location.