Lost or Stolen Items in Bali: How to Get a Police Report

For an insurance claim you need a police document: a Surat Tanda Terima Laporan Polisi (STTLP), the police report receipt, if something was stolen or snatched, or a Surat Keterangan Tanda Lapor Kehilangan (SKTLK), the lost-property certificate, if it was lost. Both are issued at the SPKT (Integrated Police Service Centre) of the Polsek, the sub-district police station covering where it happened, and both are free. Here is the safe order of steps (checked September 2026).

Stolen or lost? Pick the right report

• Stolen, snatched, taken from your room or scooter: this is a crime. Police file a Laporan Polisi (LP) and you get an STTLP with a case number. That number is what insurers usually ask for.
• Lost with no known cause (left in a taxi, dropped on the beach): you get an SKTLK.

Describe what happened exactly as it happened. Calling a theft a loss, or the other way round, can get your claim questioned when an insurance assessor rereads the report.

Step 1: Lock down your accounts and cards first

• Bank cards: block them in your banking app or through your bank's 24-hour number. Save that number somewhere other than your wallet before you travel.
• Phone: turn on lost mode via Find My (iPhone) or Find Hub/Find My Device (Android), then change your email and key passwords from another device.
• SIM card: ask your carrier to block the number so one-time codes don't reach someone else. For an Indonesian SIM, visit the provider's outlet with your passport.

Step 2: Gather the details before going to the station

• Date, time and exact place, including the street or beach name.
• List of items: brand, model, colour, serial number and your phone's IMEI (on the box, the receipt, or the device list in your Apple/Google account).
• Estimated value and proof of purchase if you have it.
• Supporting evidence: photos, video or hotel CCTV footage.
• Your passport or photo ID. If the passport went too, bring a photocopy or photo of it; replacing it is covered in our lost passport in Bali guide.

Step 3: Go to the SPKT of the Polsek where it happened

Theft and loss reports are normally handled by the Polsek for the district where the incident happened, not where you are staying. A real example: in January 2025 a tourist who lost her phone in Uluwatu was sent from Polsek Kuta to Polsek Kuta Selatan because the incident fell in that area. Find the nearest Polsek on Google Maps. Tourist Police posts in the resort areas can also point you in the right direction.

According to the UK government's official guidance for Indonesia, only a limited number of officers speak English. Bring a hotel staff member or a friend who speaks Indonesian, or prepare a short translated account of what happened.

Step 4: Check the document before you leave

• Your name as in your passport, passport number, date and place of the incident.
• Every item listed, with serial numbers or IMEI.
• A report number, an official stamp and the officer's signature.

Photograph the document before you leave the SPKT desk and email it to yourself.

Is there a fee?

No. Filing a police report in Indonesia is free, and the UK government guidance says the same. In January 2025 two SPKT officers at Polsek Kuta were investigated by Bali Police's internal affairs unit (Propam) after taking Rp200,000 from a Colombian tourist reporting a lost iPhone. If you're asked for money, politely refuse and report it: call 110 (24 hours), WhatsApp Yanduan Propam Presisi on +62 855 5555 4141, or use dumaspresisi.polri.go.id.

Can I report online?

The Polri Super App has an online loss-report service that issues a digital SKTLK. Registration uses an Indonesian ID number (NIK), email or phone number, and the form asks for ID-card details, so in practice it is built for Indonesian residents. For foreign visitors, and for thefts that need a full police report, going to the SPKT in person is still the reliable route.

Lost phone: can the IMEI be blocked?

Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital announced in October 2025 that an optional IMEI-blocking service for lost phones was being prepared through mobile operators. As of September 2026 we have not found official instructions that foreign visitors can use, so rely on Apple's or Google's lost mode, and make sure the IMEI is written in the police report, since insurers often ask for it.

Before you file the claim

Many policies require the police report within a set time of the incident, often 24 to 72 hours, and exclude belongings left unattended in public places. Cash cover is usually capped. Read your wording; what to check is in our do you need travel insurance for Bali article.

Sources: GOV.UK "Indonesia: reporting a crime or police misconduct"; reports on the Polsek Kuta case (Kompas, CNN Indonesia, January 2025); detikcom on the Polri Super App (April 2026); CNN Indonesia on the ministry's IMEI-blocking plan (October 2025).

One step people often miss: if the item disappeared on hotel or tour-operator premises, ask them for a written incident statement too. Some insurers want that third-party letter alongside the police report, and it is far easier to get before you check out.