Four men have been arrested for theft and fraud, Kuta Police announced on Tuesday.
Apparently engaging in now Bali’s ‘latest mode of ATM scam’, the men allegedly “hypnotized” their victim then withdrew all her money from her accounts at an ATM in Kuta, say police.
The suspects have been in police custody since August 7, but police just shared the case with the media yesterday.
It’s alleged that two of the suspects were bystanders and stood lookout, while the other two approached their target, a 30-year-old woman, saying they had a special antique, a jar containing a mystical ruby that could “bring prosperity and attract an easy mate.”
Kuta Police Chief Wayan Sumara held up the jar at a press conference, showing the “prop.”
Then “hypnotizing” the woman, the perpetrators asked for her ATM cards and PIN numbers, which she allegedly gave voluntarily, say police—though the actual “how” of the hypnosis remains dubious. It’s rather common folklore in Indonesia that hypnosis, or black magic is manipulated by criminals to take advantage of people.
“The victim only realized at home that her ATM cards were handed over to the perpetrators. Once checked, withdrawals totaled Rp 4,650,000 (USD347),” said Sumara, as quoted by Merdeka.
After the realization, the victim directly reported the case to Kuta Police, who were apparently able to hunt down the suspects pretty quickly.
The four men will be charged under Article 378 and 363 of the Criminal Code, with a maximum punishment of seven years prison, says Sumara.
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