BADUNG – A 50-year-old American citizen, identified as SLS, was arrested by police at his hotel on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 4:00 PM WITA. The arrest came three days after he allegedly stole a suitcase belonging to a Bulgarian tourist, Desislava Dimitrova (52).

“We have arrested a male suspect for theft,” said AKP I Ketut Sukadi, Head of Public Relations for Denpasar Police, in a statement on Sunday, March 30, 2025.

Caught on CCTV

SLS was seen wandering around the lobby of Amnaya Resort Kuta, located on Jalan Kartika Plaza, Gang Puspa Ayu No. 99, Kuta, Badung, on the evening of Wednesday, March 26, 2025. Surveillance footage later revealed that he had been scouting for an opportunity to steal.

At around 9:00 PM WITA, Dimitrova arrived at the hotel and temporarily left her suitcase with hotel staff while checking in. However, when she returned to collect it, the suitcase was missing.

After reviewing CCTV footage, hotel staff discovered that a foreign man had taken Dimitrova’s suitcase from the lobby.

Confession and Arrest

Police tracked SLS and detained him at a hotel in Kuta. During questioning, he admitted to stealing the Bulgarian tourist’s suitcase and confessed that he had committed previous thefts in Bali.

“He confessed to taking the suitcase and said he resorted to theft because he had run out of money,” Sukadi stated.

SLS is currently being held at Kuta Police Station for further investigation.