Vendors deceived under hypnotism

Vendors deceived under hypnotism

BOGOR: Within a week, 15 vendors at Cisarua traditional market
have claimed to have been conned by hypnotists.

However, the Cisarya Police Subprecinct chief, First Insp. AS
Ridwan, claimed on Tuesday that none of the vendors had reported
the incidents to the police.

According to the victims, the con artists usually pretended to
be buyers and would hand over a Rp 100,000 (US$9.6) note in
payment to the vendors. The criminals would then insist on the
vendors handing back change of Rp 90,000 while at the same time
substituting the Rp 100,000 note with a Rp 20,000 note.

The crimes have allegedly been taking place for a month.

Cisarua market head of security Ujang Hidayat said he had
assigned his men to supervise the market on a 24-hour basis to
avoid such incidents from happening in the future.

A similar case also allegedly took place in Tangerang where a
50-year-old housewife, Khodijah, was reportedly deceived into
handing over Rp 300,000 under hypnotism. She was about to pay her
Tangerang Hospital bill when a man tapped her on the shoulder
offering to pay it for her at the cashier.

To her shock, the hospital administration claimed they had not
received the money and she was forced to sign an agreement to pay
the bill by installment, Antara said. -- JP