Bandung Police 'Harvest' Thugs and Street Criminals

West Java's Bandung City Police have conducted a significant crackdown on street crime, arresting approximately 500 individuals involved in extortion and various criminal activities over June and July 2026. The operation, led by the Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of Polresta Bandung and its sub-precincts, successfully uncovered 29 cases of street crime.

During the two-month period, police apprehended 39 suspects and confiscated 90 vehicles. The cases included four instances of violent robbery (curas), 12 cases of aggravated theft (curat), and 13 cases of motorcycle theft (curanmor). The police noted that perpetrators of motorcycle theft typically used a 'T-key' to break the ignition and often sold the stolen vehicles outside the Bandung area.

For violent robberies, offenders targeted vulnerable victims, particularly in the early morning hours. They would corner victims' vehicles, threaten them with sharp weapons, and then steal their belongings. Polresta Bandung has intensified patrols in crime-prone areas, deploying personnel from various units to enhance prevention efforts.

Bandung Police Chief Kombes Pol Aldi Subartono urged the public to report any suspected criminal activity immediately via the 110 police hotline. He also offered assistance to residents who may have lost motorcycles, inviting them to match their vehicle's chassis and engine numbers with the seized evidence. The police assured that stolen vehicles would be returned free of charge. Suspects face charges under various articles of the Criminal Code, with potential sentences up to 20 years for violent robbery and up to seven years for other theft offenses.