Two Italian Nationals' Snatch Thieves Apprehended at Bundaran HI, One Still at Large

The Metro Jaya Regional Police’s robbery task force has apprehended a group of snatch thieves responsible for stealing a mobile phone from an Italian national in the Bundaran Hotel Indonesia (HI) area, Central Jakarta. From this specialised group operating around Bundaran HI, police have successfully arrested two perpetrators, while one other suspect remains at large.

Director of Criminal Investigation, Kombes Pol Iman Imanuddin, explained that this arrest is part of an operation targeting a total of eight suspects involved in violent theft across various areas of Jakarta. This group is a criminal syndicate that has reportedly carried out hundreds of crimes at various locations throughout Jakarta.

“Based on preliminary interviews with the three suspects, they have been involved in 120 incidents across 120 crime scenes. We are currently compiling the full list of all crime scenes where the suspects have operated,” said Iman.

This includes the snatch-theft case involving the Italian national, which was one of their targets on Thursday (14/05/2026). “Out of the 120 cases, four of the victims were foreign nationals, including citizens from Malaysia, Germany, China, and Italy,” Iman added.

During the raid, officers were forced to discharge firearms, hitting several suspects in the legs. This action was taken because the suspects refused to surrender, resisted officers, and attempted to flee during the arrest process. However, Iman ensured that the use of force was carried out to ensure public safety while upholding humanitarian principles and the safety of the suspects. “The firm and measured action taken was in the interest of protecting the safety of other Jakarta residents, while we continue to adhere to human rights principles regarding the suspects,” he stated.