The weekend is here—how’s your long weekend going, folks? With the Ascension of Jesus Christ holiday falling on Thursday, May 29, 2025, and a joint day off on Friday, we’ve been treated to an extended break. And hey, Sunday’s still ahead—plenty of time to make the most of it! In this week’s Lombok News roundup, closing out the month of May, we’ve got some strange stories and a sobering look at how tough economic times are affecting everyday life. Let’s dive in.

When Times Get Tough, Crime Creeps In

Here how the story goes, a recidivist in a theft case from the Gerung Butun Barat area, Mandalika sub-district, Sandubaya district, Mataram with the initials EP (40) was successfully arrested by the police.

“Yes, we have succeeded in securing one suspected perpetrator of theft as referred to in Article 363 of the Criminal Code,” said Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Lobar Police, AKP Lalu Eka Arya Mardiwinata.

It was told that the crime that EP did, occurred on Saturday (15/03), at around 17.00 WITA. The police explain that, at that time, the victim, a 31-year-old mother from Sayang-Sayang Village, Mataram, lost her cellphone while buying takjil to break the fast in the BTN Pemda area, Gerung. Now, the culprit of the missing cellphone is arrested, and turns out, spending time behind the bars did not deter the perpetrator, who turned out to be a recidivist.

Happen straight out of Gerung. A 35-year-old man, HA, from Kebon Kongok, Sukamakmur Village, was arrested for stealing his neighbor’s phone while they were sleeping.

“The suspect has been secured under Article 363 of the Criminal Code,” said AKP Lalu Eka Arya Mardiwinata, Head of Criminal Investigation at West Lombok Police.

The theft happened around 3 a.m. on Sunday (02/02). The victim woke to find their phone missing. Police tracked the stolen black Oppo A18 to someone in the village, who admitted buying it from HA.

HA was later found near the Kebon Kongok landfill and confessed to the crime, saying he needed money. The phone was recovered and secured as evidence.

Another theft case came from Cakranegara. Two men, ISR and S (both 33), were arrested by the Sandubaya Police for stealing a donation box from Nurul Yaqin Mosque in Seganteng.

“The suspects broke into the mosque around 4 a.m. and took IDR 7 million,” said AKP Niko Herdianto, Sandubaya Police Chief.

ISR climbed the fence and used a screwdriver to break the donation box, while his partner stood watch. The stolen cash was used for online gambling and to buy a phone.

Police arrested them on May 27 and seized key evidence, including the broken donation box and tools used in the crime. The suspects are now in custody and face charges under Article 363 of the Criminal Code.

We are not bragging, as a study found that a 1% increase in the poverty rate can increase crime by 0.32%, while a 1% increase in unemployment can increase crime by 0.36%. It is too early to come to a conclusion, but the study seems to have the points.