Man arrested for using AI-generated police photo to commit fraud and theft in Bandung
A 40-year-old man from Medan was arrested in Bandung after using an AI-generated photo of himself in a police uniform to deceive a victim and steal 600,000 rupiah. The suspect showed the victim the synthetic image to convince him of police authority during an impromptu street stop, and was later charged under Indonesia's Criminal Code.
What happened
On 11 August 2026 at approximately 19:30 WIB in Bandung, a man identified as S (40), a resident from Medan, stopped a victim on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman while riding a motorcycle and asked if the victim was carrying narcotics, claiming to be a police officer.
S showed the victim an AI-generated photo of himself wearing a police uniform to convince the victim of his authenticity. The victim, feeling frightened and not carrying narcotics, consented to a search and handed over his wallet.
While the victim was inattentive, S allegedly took 600,000 Indonesian rupiah from the wallet before returning it and leaving the location. The victim only discovered the money was missing when attempting to make a payment at a shop.
Reported impact
The victim lost 600,000 Indonesian rupiah through the theft.
Index analysis
According to police checks, an AI-generated photo showing S in a police uniform was found on his phone and used to persuade the victim that he was a genuine police officer.
S reportedly admitted he had committed the act only once because he needed money to send to his child in Medan.
Governance controls
S was charged under articles 482, 476, and/or 492 of Indonesia's 2023 Criminal Code (KUHP) with a maximum sentence of nine years imprisonment.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.