When I Got Robbed by a Stranger

In this article, I will share the story of when my purse was stolen in Chile.

What was stolen:
On the Bus
Don’t Hand Over Your Purse to a Stranger
AirPods

What was stolen:

My purse
AirPods
Identification
House key
etc.

I felt foolish.

I don’t think any of you would fall for the trick the robber used, but let me share how I was robbed and what I could have done better.

On the Bus

I was on a bus heading to La Serena to see my friends (refer to the previous article about how they treated me).

I was on vacation, and no classes were planned during that time.

I was so relaxed, sitting alone on the bus.

I think the robber noticed me when I took off my mask. When he saw me through the window, I must have seemed like an easy target.

I look Asian and was clearly relaxed.

The robber got on the bus and asked me to hand over my purse. He said, “This is an official inspection. Pass me your purse.” So I asked him, “Can I keep my phone? I’ll need to use it.”

He nodded.

I handed him my purse, and he left.

Of course, he never came back.

When I realized it was a robbery, I asked for help from the other passengers and the bus driver, but no one could help me. The robber was already gone.

My hands were shaking.

I was filled with regret for giving him my valuables.

(Luckily, my passport was at home.)

But I continued my journey! I stayed on the bus and headed to La Serena.

On the way, I called my family in Japan to block my credit cards. It was the middle of the night, around 2 a.m. in Japan, but fortunately, they picked up the phone and called the company right away. Thank you!

It was a relief that I didn’t give the robber my phone…

When I arrived in La Serena, it was already dark. At the bus terminal, a beggar asked me for money, but I literally had no cash, so I told him, “I don’t have any money.”

My friends picked me up at the bus station.

They offered me a comfortable bed and nutritious meals.

They even paid for a paragliding ride!

I couldn’t thank them enough.

As a thank you, I sent them a lot of Japanese snacks and sweets. I hope they liked them!

After all of that, I went back to work (online classes) the next day because I needed money.

Don’t Hand Over Your Purse to a Stranger

The man was wearing something that looked like a uniform, and I believed him. But obviously, he wasn’t wearing an official uniform.

My host family later told me never to hand over anything, even to a police officer. If they ask for your ID, just show it to them—don’t pass it over.

I had always been careful with my purse, carrying it in front of me when walking. But somehow, I let my guard down, maybe because I was too relaxed during my vacation.