BALINEWSID.COM, BADUNG – South Kuta Police have arrested a 39-year-old man for allegedly stealing an iPhone 11 from a sleeping victim in Benoa, Badung Regency, just hours after the incident occurred on Sunday (July 5, 2026).

The suspect, identified by the initials TUA, is a resident of West Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. He was apprehended following an investigation conducted by the South Kuta Police Criminal Investigation Unit.

According to police, the theft took place on the terrace of a shop located on Jalan Nuansa Utama Selatan, in front of Shop House No. 88A, Benoa Village, South Kuta District. The victim, DIY Praba Juniar, 20, from Banyuwangi Regency, had fallen asleep on the terrace at around 3:00 a.m., leaving his white iPhone 11 beside him.

When the victim woke up at approximately 6:00 a.m., he discovered that the phone was missing. He later reviewed CCTV footage from the area, which showed an unidentified man taking the phone at around 5:33 a.m. The victim subsequently reported the incident to South Kuta Police.

The stolen iPhone 11 was valued at approximately Rp5.25 million.

Following the report, investigators examined the crime scene, interviewed the victim, and collected CCTV footage from the surrounding area. Based on the suspect’s physical description, officers carried out an investigation around the Taman Griya area, where they received information that led them to a boarding house.

Police successfully arrested the suspect and, during questioning, confronted him with the CCTV footage. TUA eventually confessed to committing the theft alone and later led officers to the location where he had hidden the stolen phone.

During interrogation, the suspect admitted that he took advantage of the victim’s negligence, as the phone had been left on the ground beside the sleeping victim. He said he intended to sell the device for money, citing financial difficulties as his motive. The suspect also claimed it was his first time committing a theft.

Police seized several pieces of evidence, including the recovered white iPhone 11 and the clothing worn by the suspect during the crime, consisting of a black T-shirt with the words “Panther Black Beer” and a pair of black-and-white striped shorts.

The suspect and the seized evidence have been secured at South Kuta Police Headquarters for further legal proceedings.