0 Tourists told to remain alert during New Year’s Eve

Local police in Kuta have advised tourists who plan to celebrate New Year’s Eve around the famed beach area to remain vigilant for the possibility of crimes. Past experience demonstrated that New Year’s Eve celebrations, especially in outdoor areas where the crowds amount to thousands and people tend to be much more relaxed due to either alcoholic beverages or the joyous ambience, are treated as harvest time by local pickpockets and muggers. 

“There will be a lot of outdoor activities involving a large number of people. Moreover, the traffic will be slowed down severely by traffic jams and detours. In this setting, crimes will likely take place,” Kuta police chief Comr. Putu Dedi Ujiana said Sunday. “Tourists and local residents should remain vigilant and aware of what’s taking place around them.” Kuta is expected to see a far larger crowd this year following its soft policy on firecrackers and fireworks. 

Following several incidents last year, most villages in Bali have prohibited their residents from setting up fireworks and firecrackers on that night. Kuta and Legian, however, have officially allowed tourists and residents to set off firecrackers and fireworks, provided that they do so along the beach and not near residential areas. This policy is predicted to draw a large number of youth from Denpasar, Tabanan, Nusa Dua and other areas to Kuta to watch, or even organize, firecracker parties along the beach. 

“We realize that it is impossible to prevent visitors and tourists from celebrating the joyful occasion by lighting fireworks and firecrackers,” Kuta beach task force’s chief I Gusti Ngurah Tresna stated, adding that the beach would provide them with a safer setting to do so. Dedi Ujiana disclosed that large outdoor gatherings involving alcoholic beverages were vulnerable to several kinds of petty crimes, ranging from pickpocketing to purse-snatching. Another security threat was street brawls, usually triggered by and involving intoxicated youth. 

Street brawls in Kuta could turn into deadly affairs when involving nightclub bouncers, since most of them are members of different, feuding gangs. A street brawl on the first morning of 2008 left two people dead, while a fight between two groups of westerners in Oct. 2011 turned ugly when the nightclub’s bouncers interfered. In the latter incident, Australian soccer coach Dean Laidley stated that 10 bouncers attacked him and his family, including his female relatives. 

The police also urged the tourists not to participate in parties involving illegal drugs, including the locally grown magic mushrooms. “Three days ago a tourist consumed that kind of mushroom and ending up becoming a public nuisance,” he said. The police have set up temporary posts in front of Hard Rock Café, Beachwalk and the Bali Bombing monument. During New Year’s Eve, uniformed police personnel will be standing guard at 73 points across Kuta. In 2012, as many as 65 foreigners fell victim to criminal acts in Bali. 

Pickpocketing and house burglary topped the crimes, with 27 cases each. Dedi Ujiana also asked visitors to carefully time their hotel check-ins and check-outs, since all the main streets leading to Kuta and Legian would be closed from 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

source : bali daily