A 20-year-old American tourist has publicly apologized after being caught stealing from four businesses in the popular Bali resort of Canggu.
The young man in question was caught on CCTV failing to pay for services across the resort and was caught by an expat following footage of his actions going viral online.
Sadly, incidents of foreigners not paying for goods in tourist hotspots around Bali occur on a weekly basis. It only takes a quick glance on local social media citizen journalism accounts and local community forums to see dozens of CCTV images circulating with captions describing foreigners who have failed to pay for everything from cafe lunches to haircuts, lingerie to motorcycle helmets.
As these kinds of cases have been on the rise for the last year or so, the Canggu community has been supportive of those who have been affected by these kinds of crimes.
Cases go viral online increasingly quickly, with local residents, expats, and respectable tourists all prepared to keep an eye out for the criminals wandering through the area.
In this most recent case, a 20-year-old American tourist, who is now known to be Nicholas Ray, was caught on CCTV failing to pay at four businesses in Canggu in the last week. Nude Bali, Hair Canggu, Celebrity Ink Tattoo Canggu, and Shelter Pererenan had all taken to social media to share CCTV footage of Ray claiming that he ‘forgot his wallet’ and would need to go an fetch it before leaving the premises and never returning to pay.
As the circulation of the footage intensified, Ray was still out and about in Canggu. On Thursday 10th, October, Ray was spotted by Italian expat and popular Indonesian-based online comedian and content creator Christian Giacobbe outside a money exchange. He immediately started recording the scene and approached Ray, calling him out on his actions.
Giacobbe said, “Ni Luh is coming, the head of police is coming, the head of immigration is coming.”
Giacobbe is, of course, referring to social justice advocate and newly elected member of the House of Representatives Ni Luh Djelantik, who has been vocal in her support of local people and local businesses impacted by the illegal and disrespectful behavior of some foreigners in Bali.
Over the last two years, Djelantik has often mitigated restorative justice meetings and held both foreigners and the authorities to account, ensuring that justice is served where the law and local customs have been violated.
Giacobbe confirmed to The Bali Sun that he escorted Ray back to his hostel where local police and Djelantik arrived shorty after. Following discussions, Nude Bali, Hair Canggu, Celebrity Ink Tattoo Canggu, and Shelter Pererenan decided not to press charges, and the police and Djelantik agreed that no further legal action should be taken. Ray paid his bills in full to each business.
Giacobbe told The Bali Sun “First of all, the community is absolutely amazing, because it was a community effort. I’m the one that made the post, I’m the one that went to the guy but I received dozens and dozens of with clues, with people that have seen the guy, so it was a community effort which was incredible.”
He added “There are some rotten apples but most of the bule community really love Bali and really want to keep Bali a safe place and a nice place. Also, the stores that got scammed, amazing people, very understanding and it was a happy ending…the guy learned his lesson, we made sure he learned his lesson.”
By late afternoon on Thursday, 10th October, Giacobbe published an apology video from Ray, tagging Canggu community pages and the four affected businesses. Giacobbe also thanked Ni Luh Djelantik for finding it “in her heart not to ruin the life of a dumb 20-year-old” by pursuing legal action.
The timing of the incident is noteworthy as the Indonesian government has just updated the law to ensure that foreigners found to be violating specifically immigration law by breaking the conditions of their visas in any way could now face jail sentences of up to 20 years, aka life sentences.
In the video, Ray says he wouldn’t share his reasons for his behavior but that he wanted to “really apologize to Bali.”
He added, “It’s a really special place to be, and I hate how I disrespected it the way that I do. It does not deserve it, nor is it acceptable.”
He is reported to have departed Bali from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport around 3pm on Thursday 10th October.
Within a matter of hours, the apology video was spoofed by another expat content creator in Indonesia, Laurence Benson, who suggested that simply because one can be forgiven for stealing, it doesn’t mean it’s an OK thing to do in the first place.
While Ray will forever be known among the Canggu community as “Mr. I Forgot My Wallet,” this level of grace, forgiveness, and leniency is unlikely to be afforded to offenders in the future.
Bali is clear that there is a zero-tolerance approach to foreigners breaking the law and disrespecting local customs, and while restorative justice, as was the solution in this case, government agencies are ensuring new laws are introduced to deter this kind of behavior.
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Mick J
Saturday 12th of October 2024
Mate , the Balinese are always scamming tourists even at the airport , the Balinese officials and cops are very corrupt also ,
WAYAN BO
Friday 11th of October 2024
Famous artist, U. S. Embassy should help.
Nyoman
Friday 11th of October 2024
That's why we dont want Americans in Bali, poor, liars, scammers and behaving like that. Disgusting nation 🤢 Imigrasi, please keep them away from Bali.
Randy
Saturday 12th of October 2024
@Nyoman, Seriously dude. This was a young stupid American. An isolated case where as you hear more of Aussies, Russians and now Indians who may be more arrogant, the nouveau riche, the trailer trash who break the local laws.
Thommo
Saturday 12th of October 2024
@Nyoman, that's a rather unfortunate expression of your views. Basing it on the behaviour of one individual and Appealing to immigrasi to keep out all Americans due to that guy, Is a ridiculous statement. Though restorative justice has its merits for some issues or situations it is not the remedy for blatant deception and ripping multiple business's off. He should have been arrested, convicted and deported. Seems he's gone anyway.
Brian
Friday 11th of October 2024
@Nyoman,
Many Americans donated to the big Indonesian Tsunami in 2004. Never forget that!
Randy
Friday 11th of October 2024
Foreigners are stealing from local businesses and preying on other foreign tourists. Well told you so all along before...
This young kid got only a slap on the wrist. Seriously!! Too bad he may not have learned his lesson regardless of where he may be. Then again Bali has not learned anything that regardless of your race, the act of stealing or shown disrespect by a foreigner in Bali is not acceptable. Any victim who has decided not to press could at least make the guilty perpetrator a 72 hours of community service in Bali!!
Shorty
Saturday 12th of October 2024
@Randy,
This an interesting case.
Restorative Justice is an integral part of Balinese and RI Law. What we think about it is immaterial. It works for them.
That it's been applied to a foreigner is commendable. Though if you check back it's happened before.
That he might offend again doesn't play a part. The goods and associated retrieval costs +Rp? have been paid.
He's left and his card is marked if he tries to return.
Karen
Friday 11th of October 2024
Sorry, my foot. He would have kept stealing except he got caught. Probably done it all his life... you dont take stealing up at age 20.