You can be sure that when Kuta Police gets reports of a suspicious bag being left unattended, they’re going to take things seriously.
Police received reports on Saturday night around 11:30 pm of a bag and helmet left at an ATM on Jl. Kartika Plaza.
More than 20 police officers were reportedly deployed from a number of units including Sabhara, Crime and Violence units, Kuta Police, as well as from Brimob (special forces) to secure the location.
But nearly an hour later, a G4S security guard apparently came up to police at the ATM, saying he wanted to take the bag.
“Sorry, I want to take the bag that’s inside the ATM,” Markus Yordan Rangga, 21, said to some shocked police personnel.
Of course police did not just simply hand over the bag to Markus, but escorted him into questioning and made him open the sketchy backpack.
The bag turned out to contain nothing too dangerous or exciting (thankfully), with just some flip-flops, letters, stickers, and a phone charger.
And the explanation for all this commotion that put everyone on alert?
“I left the bag and helmet because I wanted to eat. I’m sorry, I did not mean to create a stir or terror,” Rangga said when interrogated, as quoted by Tribun Bali.
What’s the take away from this story? Police say in this time of terror threats, don’t leave your stuff unattended in public spaces and refrain from joking about having bombs. Also avoid buying toys that resemble explosives.
“So we ask the public to be cooperative. Don’t just buy a toy like a bomb, don’t leave stuff in crowded places, and don’t act as if there is a bomb. If tourism dies out, then Indonesia and Bali will feel the impact. So let’s be cooperative so that the tourism industry in Bali can continue to run normally, smoothly, safely, and peacefully,” Kuta Police Chief Wayan Sumar urged, as quoted by Tribun Bali.
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