It’s been 2 weeks and…

It’s been two weeks since I got pickpocketed at East Coast Beach and I still have not been able to bring myself to head back there even if it’s always been my Happy Place. Not sure if I can still call it my Happy Place as I somehow cringe at the thought of going back there. Still filled with questions like when and how did it all take place and why was I that careless? Of course, I shouldn’t let that one bad experience take away my joy of being at my happy place but it’s tough.

 

I know in time to come, I will get over it and be able to head back again and if not, I always have Changi Beach.

 

But I should take a few other things into consideration before allowing this one bad experience to ruin it for it. I should be thankful that it could have been worse and I could have gotten hurt in the process but I did not. Also I should keep in mind that it happened during a public holiday when the beach was packed with locals as well as foreigners so if I were to head back to East Coast Beach, I could just avoid the crowded times.

 

Karma isn’t blind. It will go after those who did this not only to me but I am sure many others at the beach that day.

 

I still cannot figure if I was that careless which I know I am not and I am always paranoid and careful, or are these thieves really that good?

 

How could they open the zips to my haversack bag without me even noticing? And to take my wallet which I carefully placed at the back of the bag so when I had it on, and if anything should fall out, it would be everything else but my wallet. How quick were they to get this done as I walked, and I walk rather quickly.

 

So after two weeks of really breaking my head to think the whole scenario through, I may have come up with a few conclusions of my own.

 

These people work in groups. They probably followed me from the Lagoon where I was buying dinner for my granny, and they watched me carefully back the food and my wallet into my haversack bag. They knew exactly where I had placed it. Then followed me for a good while and even though I brisk walked, there were a few times I had to slow down because of crossed areas and people being in my path. Those could have been the times they got to reach into my bag. Who knows? Those groups of people in my path that slowed me down could even have been from their group?

 

It must have happened not too long before I realized something was aloof and that my haversack felt weird. I stopped to check and there it was, wide opened, food I bought for granny was still inside but my wallet gone. I knew for a fact that someone had robbed me because there was no way that even if the zip on my bag unzipped itself that my wallet would fall out and not the food. I knew that for a fact because of the way I had placed the items.

 

I stood still for a few minutes, totally in shock. I finally called my mum to let her know what had just happened and to have Ed call me. We got all our cards cancelled and blocked. I continued on to Granny’s to give her the dinner I bought for her. Told her what happened which I should not have because she felt bad and felt like it was her fault that it happened. She felt if I did not bring her dinner, this would not have happened.

 

Assured her it was alright and it is not her fault. I wanted to do this for her.

 

The plan was to walk back home after I see granny but after what happened, I just wasn’t feeling it. So I took a bus home. After which, Ed accompanied me over to the police station to file a report.

 

Of course I did not have to because it wasn’t a lot of money that I lost and credit cards were cancelled. Thankfully I had my ID in my phone so I didn’t have to report that. But I made the police report because I was hoping this would get the police to look into the matter and prevent it from happening to someone else.

 

However, the police did not seem to be concerned and instead made me regret my decision for having made the report because he made me feel more stupid. He tried to tell me I may not have zipped my bag or it unzipped itself. He made it clear he could not see how my wallet could have been taken and it may have fallen out instead. I know me. I know how I packed my bag. I know my paranoia. And I know that even if anything were to have fallen out, it would not have been my wallet because of the way I packed it.

 

So that was that.

 

What I am more upset about is the fact I am so disappointed with my fellow Singaporeans.

 

I am pretty sure in the middle of that crowded beach, lots would have seen me walking with a haversack on my back that was wide opened and no one seem to think anything out of the ordinary about it, enough to approach me and say, “Excuse me but did you know your bag is open?” I know I would have said something like that to someone if I saw their bag was wide opened like that which would be strange. In fact, that was exactly what I did a couple days ago at the train station to a guy who had his bag half opened.

 

Learned two lessons from this.

 

Firstly, ‘low crime doesn’t mean no crime’.

 

Singapore has a reputation for being a safe, peaceful, and orderly city. While violent crime, and crimes against persons are rare occurrences, fraud and scams, and theft are on the rise. We should not be complacent and take to heat the campaign slogan.

 

And the second lesson learned is… never depend on anyone else but yourself. In time of trouble, you better be able to defend yourself and help yourself because apparently Singaporeans WILL NOT help you. While there are still some good people in this country, majority are simply all for themselves or in time of trouble, they would much rather take out their phones and film, rather than help.

 

I still am feeling ‘shitty’ about this whole thing because honestly, as much as many have told me, “well at least they did not hurt you…” … I on the other hand would have much preferred to have at least put up a fight with this coward!

 

I feel violated.