T

he Bali Police have declared the resort island has become safer, an have pointed to a decrease in criminality last year. However, vehicle theft has increased significantly.

Overall, reported cases of crime in Bali during 2013 decreased by 3.89 percent to 7,785 cases, down from 8,100 cases reported in 2012.

'€œThe decrease in crime obviously shows that Bali has become safer,'€ Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Albertus Julius Benny Mokalu said on Monday.

Benny said the increasing number of tourists visiting Bali had also proven the resort island was safer for tourists.

'€œIf they didn'€™t feel sure Bali was safe, they wouldn'€™t come,'€ Benny stated.

As of November 2013, the Bali Tourism Agency recorded that around 2.7 million foreign tourists had visited the island, with the figure expected to reach 3.1 million by the end of the year.

Benny said the decrease in crime was partly due to community involvement in maintaining security in their respective areas. '€œWe are grateful that the local community plays an active role in keeping the island safe,'€ Benny said.

The decrease in general crimes reported to the police, including burglary, robbery and murder, amounted to 5.04 percent, from 7,355 cases in 2012 to 6,984 cases in 2013.

Transnational crime had also decreased 5.92 percent from 338 cases to 318 cases. Meanwhile, drug cases decreased 13 percent from 309 cases to 296 cases.

However, vehicle thefts had increased significantly, up 54.57 percent from only 350 cases in 2012 to 541 cases in 2013. The thefts were mostly of motorcycles.

Bali Police also recorded that fraud and embezzlement had increased 18.79 percent from 149 cases to 177 cases.

Benny said the significant increase in vehicle theft was mostly caused by carelessness.

'€œPeople often ignore security when parking their motorcycles. They even sometimes leave the key in the motorcycle,'€ he said.

Previously, the resort island had been reported as being one of the safer areas in the country, ranked 21 out of 31.

The ranking was based on reports submitted by 31 regional police forces across the country, with the area ranked first experiencing the highest crime rate.

This ranking was announced during a meeting of regional police commanders in Jakarta in mid-2013.

Most criminal acts apparently take place in Denpasar and Badung, followed by Buleleng regency in north Bali.

Denpasar and Badung are the most urbanized parts of the island and boast a high population density, an element often associated with a rising crime rate.

In early 2013, for instance, a large number of sacred objects were stolen from dozens of major temples across the island. Balinese Hindus value these items highly, as they believe they are an earthly, physical presence of their gods.

In February, three people suffered wounds in a stabbing that took place at a karaoke bar located on
Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai in Nusa Dua.

In April, an Australian woman was robbed and raped inside her Kuta holiday villa in Kerobokan district, North Kuta, Badung regency, where she and seven members of her family were on vacation.

The local police arrested a suspect, identified as Junaedi, a 39-year-old native of Central Lombok who is a known criminal.