Two Foreign Nationals Allegedly Steal Money from Trader in Tabanan

Two foreign nationals are suspected of taking money belonging to a trader in Banjar Dinas Bajera Jero, Bajera Village, Selemadeg District, Tabanan, Bali. The actions of the two men were captured by CCTV and have since gone viral on social media.

The incident occurred at a grocery stall owned by I Made S (52) at around 3:30 PM WITA on Friday (18/9). As a result, Made S suffered a loss of approximately Rp 800,000.

Selemadeg Police Chief, Kompol I Made Subadi, confirmed the incident. He stated that the police immediately launched a series of investigations after receiving information regarding the alleged theft involving the foreigners.

The victim told the police that the two foreign nationals initially arrived to purchase granulated sugar worth Rp 5,000. Following the transaction, one of the foreigners requested to exchange a Rp 100,000 note.

“Due to language barriers, the victim produced several denominations of notes. However, the foreign national took several Rp 50,000 and Rp 100,000 notes himself,” Subadi stated when confirmed by detikBali on Sunday (20/9/2026).

The victim, becoming suspicious, rushed to retrieve the money and provided two Rp 50,000 notes instead. After the two foreign nationals departed, the victim checked his cash drawer and discovered that eight Rp 100,000 notes had vanished.

“The victim’s loss is approximately Rp 800,000,” added Subadi.

A witness named Vevi (41) claimed to have seen the victim being preoccupied while interacting with the two foreign nationals. Police suspect the two individuals carried out the act using a distraction tactic, allowing one of the perpetrators to freely take the money.

Subadi emphasised that the Selemadeg Police have taken statements from the victim and witnesses, and have visited the location for investigation. “We are also tracing information to determine whether these two foreign nationals have committed similar acts elsewhere,” he concluded.