Polda Jabar Allows Residents to Stop Robbers, Bans Vigilantism
Police recorded 19 viral robbery cases in Jabar in July and will add patrols from midnight through the early morning hours.
Polda Jawa Barat allows residents to act firmly and proportionately when they catch a robber, but forbids vigilante action that could turn fatal. The guidance was delivered by Polda Jabar public relations chief Kombes Pol Hendra Rochmawan, citing orders from Polda Jabar chief Irjen Pol Pipit Rismanto amid a rise in street crime in Bandung and other parts of West Java. In July 2026, Polda Jabar recorded 19 robbery cases that went viral on social media. At Flyover Kopo, Bandung, two suspects identified as RP and FF were arrested about three hours after they took a victim's motorcycle and cellphone with a sharp weapon on 14 July. Police also arrested a robbery suspect involved in a string of attacks in Cikawao-Melong Kaler within 35 minutes. Polda Jabar said it would add patrol officers from 00.00 until the early morning, especially on weekends and holidays.