“Bag Snatching”
At 2000 hrs on Friday 7 August 2009, UNPOLs Donna Smith and Kelly Turner dined at ‘Hercules’ Restaurant on Beach Road in Dili. At 2145 hrs they left the restaurant and walked across the road to a waiting taxi. As UNPOL Smith spoke to the taxi driver, a motorcycle with 2 males rode alongside her and pulled her bag from her arm. The purple bag was made of woven cloth and the shoulder strap snapped enabling the offender to take the bag.
The motorcycle then weaved around traffic and headed along Beach Rd in a westerly direction. The motorcycle did not have a license plate and because it was dark, both UNPOLs did not see the colour or type of motorcycle. They did however see that the back passenger was wearing a thick orange jacket and that both riders wore black helmets.
Both UNPOLs got into the taxi and asked the driver to follow the motorcycle, however by the time they started off, the motorcycle was nowhere to be seen. The taxi driver named Johnny drove the UNPOLs to Dili Police Station where they filed a complaint. On the way to the station, UNPOL Turner called the National Operations Centre and advised them of what had happened. UNPOL and PNTL patrols were dispatched to Beach Road, however they failed to locate the offenders.
As a result of this incident UNPOL Smith sustained severe bruising to her left arm and pain to her left shoulder. Items inside the bag included $500 US dollars, reading glasses and her UN identification card and driver’s permit.
On 10 August 2009, the National Operations Centre received a report from a Singaporean national by the name of Miss Lee about a similar incident. Miss Lee who works for a non-government organisation was returning to her vehicle after shopping at People’s supermarket on Stadium Road when her green coloured waist bag was ripped from her waist by two men on a motorcycle. The incident occurred at 2010 hrs and because it was dark, Miss Lee was unable to give a description of the offenders. She did see that the motorcycle did not have a license plate.
As a result of the incident Miss Lee was not injured, however she had $3000 US dollars and her Singaporean passport stolen. Miss Lee attended Dili Police Station and reported the incident to UNPOL Kenny who was at the front desk.
On Thursday 13 August 2009, information was received that two brothers by the names of Antonio and Christopher Monday were responsible for these robberies along with approximately six others that had occurred in Dili in the preceding weeks. The two brothers resided in Lake Tahoe with their mother who had noticed that they appeared to have large amounts of cash which were not theirs. Their mother reported this to a family friend who then reported it to the PNTL.
As a result of the information received, UNPOL and PNTL conducted an operation and apprehended the two alleged offenders. In their house they located several identification cards, credit cards, $5000 US dollars and numerous other personal items. The alleged offenders were conveyed to Dili Police Station where they both admitted to committing nine robberies on internationals over a period of four weeks. They stated that they selected internationals because they knew they carried large amount of cash and were easy targets. The investigation is continuing.
Q1. Why were internationals targeted in the robberies?
Q2. How were the two alleged offenders related to each other?
Q3. Was any description given of any of the offenders? If so, what?
Q4. How many robberies did the alleged offenders admit to?
Q5. What injuries did UNPOL Donna Smith receive?.
Q6. Where did the motorcycle go after the first incident?
Q7. What was the name of the restaurant the UNPOLs dined at?
Q8. At what time and date did the first incident occur?
Q9. What was the total value of cash taken in the two robberies mentioned in this report?
Q10. Why did no one get the license plate of the motorcycles involved?
At 2000 hrs on Friday 7 August 2009, UNPOLs Donna Smith and Kelly Turner dined at ‘Hercules’ Restaurant on Beach Road in Dili. At 2145 hrs they left the restaurant and walked across the road to a waiting taxi. As UNPOL Smith spoke to the taxi driver, a motorcycle with 2 males rode alongside her and pulled her bag from her arm. The purple bag was made of woven cloth and the shoulder strap snapped enabling the offender to take the bag.
The motorcycle then weaved around traffic and headed along Beach Rd in a westerly direction. The motorcycle did not have a license plate and because it was dark, both UNPOLs did not see the colour or type of motorcycle. They did however see that the back passenger was wearing a thick orange jacket and that both riders wore black helmets.
Both UNPOLs got into the taxi and asked the driver to follow the motorcycle, however by the time they started off, the motorcycle was nowhere to be seen. The taxi driver named Johnny drove the UNPOLs to Dili Police Station where they filed a complaint. On the way to the station, UNPOL Turner called the National Operations Centre and advised them of what had happened. UNPOL and PNTL patrols were dispatched to Beach Road, however they failed to locate the offenders.
As a result of this incident UNPOL Smith sustained severe bruising to her left arm and pain to her left shoulder. Items inside the bag included $500 US dollars, reading glasses and her UN identification card and driver’s permit.
On 10 August 2009, the National Operations Centre received a report from a Singaporean national by the name of Miss Lee about a similar incident. Miss Lee who works for a non-government organisation was returning to her vehicle after shopping at People’s supermarket on Stadium Road when her green coloured waist bag was ripped from her waist by two men on a motorcycle. The incident occurred at 2010 hrs and because it was dark, Miss Lee was unable to give a description of the offenders. She did see that the motorcycle did not have a license plate.
As a result of the incident Miss Lee was not injured, however she had $3000 US dollars and her Singaporean passport stolen. Miss Lee attended Dili Police Station and reported the incident to UNPOL Kenny who was at the front desk.
On Thursday 13 August 2009, information was received that two brothers by the names of Antonio and Christopher Monday were responsible for these robberies along with approximately six others that had occurred in Dili in the preceding weeks. The two brothers resided in Lake Tahoe with their mother who had noticed that they appeared to have large amounts of cash which were not theirs. Their mother reported this to a family friend who then reported it to the PNTL.
As a result of the information received, UNPOL and PNTL conducted an operation and apprehended the two alleged offenders. In their house they located several identification cards, credit cards, $5000 US dollars and numerous other personal items. The alleged offenders were conveyed to Dili Police Station where they both admitted to committing nine robberies on internationals over a period of four weeks. They stated that they selected internationals because they knew they carried large amount of cash and were easy targets. The investigation is continuing.
Q1. Why were internationals targeted in the robberies?
Q2. How were the two alleged offenders related to each other?
Q3. Was any description given of any of the offenders? If so, what?
Q4. How many robberies did the alleged offenders admit to?
Q5. What injuries did UNPOL Donna Smith receive?.
Q6. Where did the motorcycle go after the first incident?
Q7. What was the name of the restaurant the UNPOLs dined at?
Q8. At what time and date did the first incident occur?
Q9. What was the total value of cash taken in the two robberies mentioned in this report?
Q10. Why did no one get the license plate of the motorcycles involved?
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