11/13/2006 China Day 49: Lijiang, Yunnan - 5 vs.1
11/13/2006 China Day 49: Lijang, Yunnan - 5 vs.1
Yeah, I lost.
So today a team of 5 thieves stole all my money and my camera and memory card. Total loss was about $1,300.
I do have some interesting things to say about it though.
First, I didn't really think when I realized what was happening. One of the guys bolted, and I chased after him. I caught him after a bit as he tried to slip through a gate. That was the perfect occasion to slam my body into him and smash him into the gate, but I missed I think. Instead, I skinned my own forehead. But as he slipped through the gate, I was able to catch him again and shove him against the wall on the opposite side of the street. This time I got him and his nose and maybe lips were bleeding.
By this time, he was mostly subdued and a crowd had gathered. I was holding him by his shirt collar and he didn't struggle too much. In particular, I liked that he didn't think about attacking me because he probably thought he'd get his ass kicked if he tried (thanks, Barzel). His other 2 accomplices whom I knew about at the time got away. But later, 2 other unknown accomplices came by and sort of smoothly separated the thief I had caught and me, and then the thief got away. The police came by soon after (just after all the thieves had gotten away), and after some questioning, arrested the 2 accomplices.
Poor accomplices. In China, I guess they don't believe in innocence until proven guilty, or separation of executive and judicial powers, because when I got to the station to file a report, the thieves were also there, and let's just say they didn't get their due (American) process. Although I didn't get to see anything, I heard, and saw the instruments of torture. In the beating room, there was a stick like a billy club, but it had a slight bend about 1/3 of the way towards the top, and the head was knobbed like a massage instrument, but I don't think it's very soothing if you get hit with this thing hard. I picked it up when the room was empty, and it was very hard.
Yeah, so the thieves got separate beatings. They could hear the other one yelling while waiting their turn. I wasn't really glad that the suspects were being beaten, but I wasn't too offended either. I was a little offended I think. I really don't think that beating them is going to get any of my money back. The first was more stoic, and didn't yell much, although I saw later that his hand was bleeding in the shape of the knobs on the beating stick, and his chin was skinned, probably from being pushed or dragged on the floor. The second yelled more, and even cried out that he was going to die at one point. He didn't. Then they were both handcuffed to some grills in the hot sun and left to bake.
Remind me not to commit any serious crimes in China.
So, afterthoughts. I'm glad that I'm still alive, not injured, not in jail. I'm glad the thieves didn't have any weapons. I'm glad I was able to catch a thief and inflict some pain. And I'm glad that once he was subdued, I didn't continue to beat him or anything.
I was also happy for some time after I got away from the police station. I was happy for all the things above - just to be alive. And well, it's money - even a lot of it, but it's just money. They didn't take my ATM or credit cards, or most importantly, my passport. And perhaps just as important, I didn't think it would do me much good to be depressed alone in a foreign city. No one would really help or comfort me.
But, feelings don't really work that way, do they? You can't just reason the natural ones away. So when I finally spent $425 on another camera, I started to feel sad. Sad that so much money had been wasted/lost, and even sadder that I don't have anyone to be sad with. I can't really go to the bar, club, or even my hostel room and be sad with anyone. The few good Chinese or foreign friends I have in China are far away in other cities.
I could have prevented or avoided this theft. Next time I will know better.
I don't have any pictures of myself today or the tortured suspects, because my camera was stolen.
Yeah, I lost.
So today a team of 5 thieves stole all my money and my camera and memory card. Total loss was about $1,300.
I do have some interesting things to say about it though.
First, I didn't really think when I realized what was happening. One of the guys bolted, and I chased after him. I caught him after a bit as he tried to slip through a gate. That was the perfect occasion to slam my body into him and smash him into the gate, but I missed I think. Instead, I skinned my own forehead. But as he slipped through the gate, I was able to catch him again and shove him against the wall on the opposite side of the street. This time I got him and his nose and maybe lips were bleeding.
By this time, he was mostly subdued and a crowd had gathered. I was holding him by his shirt collar and he didn't struggle too much. In particular, I liked that he didn't think about attacking me because he probably thought he'd get his ass kicked if he tried (thanks, Barzel). His other 2 accomplices whom I knew about at the time got away. But later, 2 other unknown accomplices came by and sort of smoothly separated the thief I had caught and me, and then the thief got away. The police came by soon after (just after all the thieves had gotten away), and after some questioning, arrested the 2 accomplices.
Poor accomplices. In China, I guess they don't believe in innocence until proven guilty, or separation of executive and judicial powers, because when I got to the station to file a report, the thieves were also there, and let's just say they didn't get their due (American) process. Although I didn't get to see anything, I heard, and saw the instruments of torture. In the beating room, there was a stick like a billy club, but it had a slight bend about 1/3 of the way towards the top, and the head was knobbed like a massage instrument, but I don't think it's very soothing if you get hit with this thing hard. I picked it up when the room was empty, and it was very hard.
Yeah, so the thieves got separate beatings. They could hear the other one yelling while waiting their turn. I wasn't really glad that the suspects were being beaten, but I wasn't too offended either. I was a little offended I think. I really don't think that beating them is going to get any of my money back. The first was more stoic, and didn't yell much, although I saw later that his hand was bleeding in the shape of the knobs on the beating stick, and his chin was skinned, probably from being pushed or dragged on the floor. The second yelled more, and even cried out that he was going to die at one point. He didn't. Then they were both handcuffed to some grills in the hot sun and left to bake.
Remind me not to commit any serious crimes in China.
So, afterthoughts. I'm glad that I'm still alive, not injured, not in jail. I'm glad the thieves didn't have any weapons. I'm glad I was able to catch a thief and inflict some pain. And I'm glad that once he was subdued, I didn't continue to beat him or anything.
I was also happy for some time after I got away from the police station. I was happy for all the things above - just to be alive. And well, it's money - even a lot of it, but it's just money. They didn't take my ATM or credit cards, or most importantly, my passport. And perhaps just as important, I didn't think it would do me much good to be depressed alone in a foreign city. No one would really help or comfort me.
But, feelings don't really work that way, do they? You can't just reason the natural ones away. So when I finally spent $425 on another camera, I started to feel sad. Sad that so much money had been wasted/lost, and even sadder that I don't have anyone to be sad with. I can't really go to the bar, club, or even my hostel room and be sad with anyone. The few good Chinese or foreign friends I have in China are far away in other cities.
I could have prevented or avoided this theft. Next time I will know better.
I don't have any pictures of myself today or the tortured suspects, because my camera was stolen.
posted by Coquin at 7:55 PM
3 Comments:
Remember not to commit serious crimes in China!!!
Or any crime for that matter.
Jokes aside, sorry honey to hear abouot your trouble. I hope you will have brighter days and make new friends very soon.
Love,
M.
Bummer man, seems like you put up a decent fight. Thumbs up!
p
Mancow,
glad you're alive. sorry you were attacked. we'll see you safe and sound when you get back.
love,
jimmy the dog
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