T

he Bali Police arrested three more suspects from a syndicate believed to be responsible for a string of violent robberies in the island targeting foreigners on recent weeks.

The three suspects, identified as Jaelani, Heri and Sahlan, were arrested separately last week in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, after Bali Police received information that a stolen item, a BlackBerry handheld device, was sold to a stolen goods dealer in the neighboring province.

“Our officers used the information to arrest Jaelani at a market in Lombok last Friday. From him, we received information on the location of two other suspects and arrested them on Saturday and Sunday,” Bali Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Gde Sugianyar Dwiputra said Monday.

The police are continuing their search for two other members of the gang, identified as Kar and Har.

The three suspects confessed they were behind the robbery of US national Ekoto Phillip Mimbimi at his house in Kerobokan, North Kuta, at dawn on Jan. 29.

“The suspects broke into the house through a back window. They wielded wooden sticks and machetes to threaten the victim,” Sugianyar said.

Mimbimi fought back and later had to receive medical treatment for his injuries.

The suspects also admitted that they committed robberies in several other locations, including Kapal in Badung regency and Patih Nambi, Subak Dalem and Singosari in Denpasar.

Jaelani, said he had also committed a theft in Selangor, Malaysia, where he worked as an illegal migrant worker.

Two weeks ago, the police’s violent crime unit shot dead the alleged leader of the gang, saying he attempted to flee during a police raid on the house of a stolen goods dealer in Renon, Denpasar.

The dead suspect, identified as Syahri from Lombok, was shot once in the head.

In the sweep, police arrested four suspects who confessed to committing at least 13 robberies in Denpasar and Badung.

A string of robberies has terrorized foreigners and locals alike in recent months.

Italian national Alfredo Delbo was severely injured at dawn on Dec. 30 when five masked robbers entered his villa in Cucukan, Gianyar, after poisoning two guard dogs. Delbo was hit in the head with machetes and the robbers made off with Rp 2 billion (US$222,000) in valuables.

On Jan. 19, Lusiana Burgess, the wife of retired British pilot David Bulger, was found dead in their house in Kerobokan. Her body was bruised and several valuables were missing from the house. Police believe she was the victim of a violent robbery.

Six days later, Australian national Christine Cheryl was attacked by four robbers at her rented villa in the isolated area of Tiying Tukul village in Badung. The robbers stole jewelry, electronic goods and cash worth around Rp 180 million.