Grim development for Aussie woman Vanessa Crimmins accused of stealing backpacks and laptops in Bali after CCTV footage was released

An Australian teacher accused of stealing backpacks containing laptops has been transferred to the island’s notorious Kerobokan prison.

Vanessa Louise Crimmins, 45, is accused of stealing two backpacks outside Popular Deli, a supermarket in North Kuta on October 30. 

Head of the Balinese prosecutor’s intelligence section Gde Ancana confirmed that Crimmins has been moved from police detention to Kerobokan women’s jail.

Photos showed an emotionless Crimmins in an orange inmate shirt watching on as paperwork was filled out by officials on Monday afternoon.

She was then transported to Kerobokan, which has previously housed several members of Bali Nine drug smuggling ring and fellow Aussie Schapelle Corby.

‘Police have handed over the dossier and all evidence regarding the case of Australian woman Vanessa Louise Crimmins,’ Mr Ancana said.

‘As police have completed the dossier, prosecutors have to move her from police detention into the prison.’

Ms Crimmins will remain at Kerobokan during her pre-trial hearings, which will be held at the Denpasar Prosecutor office. 

The Australian teacher, 45, is accused of stealing two backpacks containing laptops from outside a supermarket in North Kuta

‘After this, we will made the indictment and handed over the case to the Denpasar District Court,’ Mr Ancana said. 

‘Hopefully the trial can be started as early as January.’ 

Crimmins will be charged with article 362 subsection 1 of criminal code of theft.

She could be jailed for up to five years if found guilty.

CCTV from the morning October 30 allegedly showed Crimmins taking two bags from the sitting area of the Popular Deli supermarket.

At the time of her arrest, Crimmins was staying at an address in North Kuta.

However, it remains unclear whether she lived in Bali or was holidaying on the island at the time. 

Following her arrest, Badung Police spokesperson Putu Sukarma alleged the victims left their bags in the sitting area at the Popular Deli at 7.30am. 

CCTV footage from outside the supermarket appeared to show Vanessa Crimmins picking up two backpacks

Kerobokan prison previously held members of the Bali Nine, an Australian drug smuggling ring 

When they returned 90 minutes later, both bags were allegedly missing. 

‘The suspect has [allegedly] taken two laptops from two bags that have been left a while by the owners in the sitting area,’ Mr Sukarma said.

A HP laptop and MacBook Air were allegedly stolen from Ardi Nurcahyadi, 42, from Jakarta and Denpasar university student Ni Nyoman Ari Purwaningsih, 24.

However, Crimmins could walk free under a unique quirk in the Indonesian justice system if the alleged victims choose to forgive her. 

Also known as Hotel K, Kerobokan Prison has a long and chequered history of riots and other violence involving prisoners and guards.

The prison infamously held several remaining members of the Bali Nine drug smuggling ring before they were recently released.

Si Yi Chen and Matthew Norman served out their sentences at Kerobokan before they returned to Australia earlier this month.

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, who were the two Bali Nine ringleaders who also spent their sentences on Kerobokan’s death row before .were executed in 2015

It’s also where fellow Aussie Schapelle Corby served the majority of her nine year jail term after she attempted to smuggle 4.1kg of marijuana in her bodyboard bag through Denpasar Airport in 2004.