Originally Posted by SingViet
Japanese tourists rescued from bia om con
thieves have been preying on foreign tourists using a time-honored confidence trick involving pretty girls and inflated bar bills.
Ho Chi Minh City police Monday arrested five members of a robbery gang who were allegedly working with a bar owner to rip off and rob Japanese tourists.
Alleged ringleader Nguyen Thanh Do was apprehended as he was coercing Y.M to withdraw money from an automatic teller machine (ATM) in District 3.
Alleged ringleader Nguyen Thanh Do in police custody Monday. Do admitted his gang had committed at least 23 robberies targeting Japanese tourists since early this year.
The police then raided the Phuong Dong restaurant in Binh Thanh District to rescue another Japanese citizen, N.D.
During investigations, Do, who has been wanted by the police over two other robberies, identified four accomplices, who were all arrested.
Police said Monday they had seized six motorbikes, six cell-phones, four ATM cards, US$520 and 9,000 yen (around $97) in cash and other valuables. The ring members could face charges of “extracting property from others” and “illegal detention of people.”
The robbery
The police said Monday’s arrests were the result of a 15-day stake-out of HCMC’s backpacker area in District 1, where many foreign tourists stay.
On Sunday, the alleged ringleader Do met N. and Y. at a snail eatery in District 1’s Bui Vien Street, police said.
Telling the Japanese visitors he was working for a tourist firm in HCMC, Do invited them to the Phuong Dong restaurant where they were “entertained” by three bia om girls.
In Vietnam, bia om (literally ‘beer hug’) restaurants are places where men are entertained by scantily-clad women. They are more well-known for prostitution than fine dining.
ADVICE FOR VICTIMS
Foreigners who are robbed can dial (08) 3 838 7200 to report the incident to the city police’s investigative agency (PC14), the police department said.
Those staying in the backpacker area are also advised to go to the nearest police station, the Pham Ngu Lao Ward police station, at 66 Bui Vien Street in District 1.
Affected victims should also contact their respective consuls for further assistance.
At around 11 p.m. that night, the Japanese tourists were presented with a bill for $618 for food and drinks and $620 for two of the bia om girls. Police, who arrested the restaurant manager Hoang Minh Thanh Monday, calculated the bill should have been only VND1.8 million ($106).
After the two Japanese tourists said they had only $520 on them, Do’s sidekicks Nguyen Duc Diep and Tran Manh Ninh, overpowered them and took their cash - $520 in US currency, 9,000 yen and VND2 million (nearly $120) – as well as two cameras, four credit cards and the men’s passports.
Do ordered his accomplices to detain N. at the restaurant while he took Y. to an ATM to withdraw the money he “owed” on the restaurant bill.
The HCMC police department said Monday they had returned the stolen property to the Japanese tourists.
Do also told investigators since early this year, his gang had committed at least 23 similar robberies, all using the same tactics and targeting Japanese visitors.
Investigations into the scam began after the Japanese Consulate General in HCMC told city police such cases have been on the increase lately.
The police said Do, a former street coconut vendor, had come under surveillance because he appeared to have come into a lot of money this year.
Do had a new wardrobe and was seen interacting with many foreigners and riding an expensive motorbike, police said.
Investigations are continuing.
Reported by Dam Huy
Story from Thanh Nien News
Published: 09 December, 2008, 11:47:06 (GMT+7)
Copyright Thanh Nien News
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