Security cameras in Bali captured the moment a motorbike rider snatched gold necklaces from around the neck of a 68-year-old Australian tourist as he walked with his wife back to their hotel in Legian, Kuta, after dinner. The thief slowed alongside the couple without fully stopping, grabbed the jewellery and sped off, leaving them shaken but unharmed. The incident, which occurred on the evening of Friday 21 August, highlights a wider rise in street theft targeting tourists on the Indonesian island, prompting police investigation and renewed safety warnings for visitors.

The stolen necklaces reportedly weighed 25 grams and 50 grams and were valued at more than AU$17,000. Kuta Police's Criminal Investigation Unit is examining CCTV footage and taking witness statements, while a police spokesperson said officers were working to recover the jewellery. The theft echoes warnings from a Bali-based travel influencer, who said in July that jewellery and phone snatching by scooter riders had become a significant problem, and from Australia's Smartraveller service, which urges visitors to keep valuables hidden, avoid walking near kerbs and carry bags on the side furthest from the road.