Satpolairud Secures Two Teenage Thieves On Australian Cruise Ship In Labuan Bajo

LABUAN BAJO - The Air and Air Police Unit (Satpolairud) of the West Manggarai Police arrested two teenagers suspected of theft on a cruise ship (yacht) belonging to Australian citizens in the waters of Sabita Island, Labuan Bajo.

Losses due to theft are estimated at IDR 500 million. The two perpetrators with the initials A (18) and E (17) were secured along with a number of pieces of evidence.

Head of Polairud West Manggarai Police, AKP Dimas Yusuf Fadhila Rahmanto, explained that the theft report was received on September 5, 2025 morning from one of the crew members of a tourist boat. They found a glass of a foreign ship called Miss Universe breaking after the victim finished diving.

"After checking, some of the victim's personal belongings were declared missing," said Dimas.

A joint team from the Satpolairud and the Directorate of Polairud Polda NTT immediately processed the initial crime scene and started an investigation. The results of the investigation led to information on the existence of a fishing boat carrying a guitar suspected of being stolen goods.

On Sunday (7/9/2025) at around 12.00 WITA, the Gakum Satpolairud team led by KBO Satpolairud Mabar Police, Ipda Henro Manurung, intercepted a ketinting boat in the waters of Atlantis Beach, Gorontalo.

"We found a guitar very similar to the one that disappeared on September 5", said Henro.

The development of the case led to Papagarang Island, where some of the evidence was entrusted to the families of the alleged perpetrators. At around 12.30 WITA, the team secured the remaining evidence. The two suspected perpetrators were then taken to the Mabar Police Satpolairud Office at around 13.00 WITA.

The evidence that was secured included one brown Yamaha guitar, one black jacket, three hats, one platinum and diamond necklace, one diamond ring, one flashlight, one ketinting boat, and one hammer.

Several other items such as lights and underwater cameras, according to the perpetrator's confession, fell or were thrown into the sea. They haven't had time to sell the stolen items, they still have them," explained Dimas.

The victims of the theft were three Australian citizens with one family, namely Gilbert Stefen James (52), Gariok Kylie Louise (43), and one other victim.

Police are still investigating and investigating the possibility of additional perpetrators. The two suspected perpetrators were charged with Article 363 of the Criminal Code concerning theft with a weighted penalty of seven years in prison.

Kasatpolairud appealed to tourists visiting Labuan Bajo to always protect luggage to prevent similar incidents.