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ec. 4, p9

Tjong Kui Ing, 62, a resident of the Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) housing complex in North Jakarta, lost jewelry worth Rp 250 million (US$18,000) after apparently being hypnotized by a group of people, who had claimed to be able to dispel her impending bad fortune.

Jakarta Police General Crime Directorate chief Sr. Comr. Krishna Murti said on Thursday that the incident began when one of the four gang members asked the victim for the address of a nearby drug store as she was waiting for a public minivan in Penjaringan, North Jakarta.

'€œAs the victim did not know the address, she [the victim] asked another person who was probably part of the group,'€ he said, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

According to Krishna, the gang members engaged Tjong in conversation and told her that they had herbal medicine from the US. As Tjong appeared interested, they called their friends and met in a car.

'€œWhen the victim was in the car, one of the perpetrators predicted that Tjong would have bad fortune and that one of her children would die,'€ he said.

He said Tjong became terrified and begged them to dispel her bad fortune. Tjong then took jewelry from her home and put it in a black plastic bag as required by the gang.

They exchanged black plastic bags with Tjong and told her not to open the plastic bag for three days.

'€œWhen she returned home and regained her senses, she opened the bag to find two bottles of mineral
water and a packet of salt in the bag,'€ Krishna said.

Krishna said four suspects, identified as Acuan a Chinese citizen, Melissa, Jenna and Erna had already been detained in West Jakarta. The police also seized Rp 20 million in cash, a car, two mineral water bottles and a packet of salt as evidence.

Your comments:

She should have called the psychic hot line for a second opinion. PT Barnum was the greatest seer of them all.

Simaging

Ah, the feared hypnosis thieves!

That one only really works with people who are highly superstitious and well, are not really smart, so they believe in that kind of thing.

I mean, before I came to Indonesia I had never ever heard of this kind of crime '€” although here I heard about it occurring many times already.

Gordon Freeman

I hope that at least they did what they promised: Dispel her bad fortune.

Sorong

In Indonesia and in Africa there are many stories like this. Are they true? Where can we learn how to hypnotize?

I would like to try this Indonesian magic that people talk about to get more customers to buy my products, and while I'€™m at it, get them to pay a higher price.

Jakfan

Wow! Where was this lady when God was passing out brains?

In the same line with Setya and other politicians. Certainly not the brightest person around.

Willo1246