Two French tourists deported after shoplifting incidents in Ubud

Ubud — Two French tourists have been deported from Indonesia following separate shoplifting incidents at supermarkets in Ubud earlier in September, according to local police and immigration officials cited in Indonesian media.

Reports in Indonesian-language outlets describe two 21-year-old French nationals, identified only by their initials, who were caught stealing food and household items from supermarkets in the Gianyar regency town. Police say both cases were settled through restorative justice after the stores agreed not to pursue criminal charges, but the foreigners were then handed over to immigration for deportation.

Incidents at Ubud supermarkets

According to a report on a national travel news portal, the first case involved a 21-year-old French man, identified as NHB, who was detained after stealing food, drinks and household items from a supermarket on Jalan Raya Pengosekan in Ubud. The outlet cites Gianyar Police officials as saying the man told officers he had run out of money, and the supermarket agreed to resolve the case peacefully once he paid compensation.

A separate case, also reported by Indonesian media, involved a 21-year-old French woman, identified as RLBZ, who was arrested after allegedly stealing goods from another supermarket in Peliatan, Ubud. Police said this case was likewise settled amicably with the store, with the suspect compensating for the losses.

A local Bali newspaper reports that at least one of the incidents occurred at a Pepito supermarket in Ubud, where the French national was caught taking chocolate and other food items. Police in Ubud told the paper the criminal investigation was closed after the supermarket chose not to extend the matter, and officers then coordinated with Denpasar Immigration over the suspect’s status.

Police resolution and deportation

In both cases, police are quoted as saying they used a restorative justice approach, a mechanism under Indonesian law that allows minor offences to be resolved through mediation and compensation when victims agree. According to Gianyar Police, after the stores accepted repayment and declined to pursue a court case, the foreign nationals were transferred to immigration authorities.

The travel news report, citing immigration officials, states that the two French tourists were subsequently deported. One officer is quoted as saying the male suspect had already been deported around two months before publication, while the female suspect was deported about a month earlier. The local Bali newspaper similarly reports that police had coordinated with Denpasar Immigration to process deportation for at least one of the French nationals.

Neither report provides the exact dates of deportation or names the immigration decision formally, but both state that the deportations followed the restorative justice settlements and immigration review.

Broader immigration enforcement

The deportations in Ubud come amid a broader tightening of immigration enforcement in Bali. Separate coverage of Ngurah Rai Immigration’s activities in late August and early September 2026 details multiple deportations of foreign tourists for overstays, visa misuse and other violations, as officials seek to underline that immigration rules will be strictly applied.

Immigration oversight data reported by Indonesian public broadcasters indicate that hundreds of foreigners have been deported from Bali in the first half of 2026 for infractions ranging from overstaying visas to disrupting public order. While those figures cover a wide range of cases, the Ubud shoplifting incidents fit into a pattern of closer scrutiny of foreign visitors whose conduct is deemed to breach Indonesian law or local norms.

Sources

• Detikcom Travel – "Turis Prancis Nekat Ngutil Makanan di Ubud, Ngaku Kehabisan Uang"
• Bali Post – "Kasus Turis Prancis Ngutil Cokelat di Pepito Ubud Diselesaikan Restorative Justice"
• Indonesia With Me – "Bali Immigration Deports 12 Foreign Tourists in Overstay and Visa Crackdown - Indonesia With Me"
• The Bali Sun – "Immigration Crack Down On Tourists Overstays Visas Leads To Deportations"
• RRI – "Immigration Oversight in Bali Strengthens Public Order, 342 Foreigners Deported"
• The Bali Times