Aussie Tourists Forced into ‘Walk of Shame’ After Allegedly Stealing a Bike in Indonesia

December 21, 2016

Two Australians accused of stealing a bicycle have become recent subjects a public walk of shame in an island in Indonesia.

According to an article from Strait Times, two Australians who were left unidentified were forced to take a “walk of shame” on an island in Indonesia called Gili Trawangan. The tourists walked down the street with signs around their necks that read, “I am thieve (sic). Don’t do what I did.”

Village Chief Muhamad Taufik claimed that the two Australians were spotted on a CCTV footage when they stole a bike from a hotel 10 days ago in Gili Trawangan – a popular tourist destination in Indonesia. Hotel managers have reported the incident to authorities and the two were caught the next day.

“We interrogated them, made an agreement, paraded them around the island and forced them to leave Gili,” Taufik said.

Compared to Bali, Gili Trawangan is considered generally quiet and peaceful. Although Indonesian laws are enforced, police are not always around the island. They do have private security officers and their own form of justice developed by the locals, said News Australia website.

“Since there is no police enforcement on our little tropical paradise island, we have our own rules for thieves. Later on, the person will get banned from the island and is not allowed to return for a few years,” Karina who manages Gili Islands’ Facebook page said.

“It is to make people aware that they cannot visit a foreign country and take what they want without consequences,” Karina added.

The two Australians were the first foreigners this year to do the “walk of shame” while other Indonesians with the same case of theft have been forced to do the same.

“The walk of shame parade is a regulation in our village. I don’t know whether the police are charging them now, what matters to me is that they’re now gone,” Taufik said.

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