Bill Dalton tell us how to deal with a pick pocket in Indonesia

G’day Nick,

The best pickpocket scam I came across was in Yogyakarta. Candika and I were walking down the road on a crowded Saturday night and a guy bumped into me walking from the other direction. I thought ‘how rude’ and naturally turned to look at him and give him the silent verbals.

Next thing I know, Candika has pulled me about 5 steps to my left. It was then she told me how I nearly lost my wallet.

The guys work in pairs. One bumps you, you turn to give the guy the evil eye, whilst his mate walks up behind you and lifts the goods whilst you are distracted.

Gone are the days when merely pointing out a pickpocket meant instant help from the locals. They tend to keep to themselves unless there is a quid in it for them!.

In the Soeharto era, the locals would have grabbed the pickpocket, kicked the shit out of him and called the police.

What isnt mentioned here is that if you shout ‘Maling’(meaning thief) at your thief everyone of the males locally will arrive and beat the thief to death in front of your eyes.
Its a horrible site which I have seen twice but happens weekly in Bali (if the thief is non Balinese) the second time was particularly horrific when these apparantly calm people fell upon the person like a virus until death. What was so horrible the second time was the fact that the crowd killed the wrong person.

The Police were present at both incidents but waited until the animal like crowd had finished with their victim and dragged the body onto the truck whilst tourists screamed around.

This sort of mob rule is indicative of Indonesia particularly Bali but thankfully is happening less these days (the Police tell me 3x a month now)but that is only down to the lack of tourists on the island.

Hi Dee Hoo People,

From reading between the lines i have come up with the horrible thoughts ;

That it is not uncommon for someone to be battered to death by a baying screaming mob of bansheees.
Now dont get me wrong i dont back any crime AGAINST normal everyday individuals. Yes and stealing is not good, but hey it sounds like it is normally a tourist or someone who is not Balinese that usually cops these, well not hidings is it, more like brutal murderish batterings. Whats more frightening is it is sometimes the wrong person…….heel no surely.

Can someone confirm if i am right and tourists have been the victims of these bashings.

This is probably one thing the Indos should put aside and move on to the proper way of handling crime. Perhaps batter sex offenders and rapists to death, and even then i would rather just see them locked up and doing a long harsh labour intensice sentence than putting them out their misery. Yes as i have stated i would be interested if someone out there can recall a case when a tourist has been stuped enough to commit a crime and has paid with his life. This is perhaps a more interesting topic than the Schappelle Corby isnt she or is she case and i would have thought could generate a lot of respone meaning lots of comments from all you Bali Bloggers and your views and even better actual real life experiences on this subject.
So come on bloggers get typing away on that keyboard and hear one and all and perhaps some Bali Blog virgings, (No i am not a perv i mean people who read but have never commented much because perhaps their shy….ahhh ahh now….hee hee) No but seriousley any one that reads this and has got a story to tell on this subject PLEASE let me and other bloggers hear it or as i have already stated just your views would be nice as it is a strong subject in my book and warrants talking about. Watch i bet i log in later and there has been no response and i look a right pillock!!….. weel i dont care its a Monday mornin here in Blighty and i want somehting spicey to liven the day up folks. Perhaps there are some even better stories lurking out there eh… whadda you reckon eh….come on then lets ear em bloggers

Over and out…OH AND THE SUN IS OUT.

Mark,
I think you have read incorrectly between the lines!!!

What scott is saying is… If a tourist is pick pocketed in Bali (as his example)then the tourist could call out MALING which would get the attention of locals & if the thief was not balinese (In this examples situation) then the Balinese would beat to death the thief, not the tourist!!!

Hope that clears it up for ya!