S'porean woman loses wallet after stranger bumps into her on crowded bus from KSL City Mall
A Singaporean woman did not think much of it when a man bumped into her on a crowded bus - until she realised her wallet was missing.
Stomper Diana said she was returning to Singapore and had taken a bus from KSL City Mall to JB Sentral 2 on Jan 21, at 6.14pm. She was onboard a single-decker myBAS bus.
Diana recounted: "The bus was packed. I was going for the last row of seats as they were empty. When I was about to reach the seats, a skinny man who was about 168cm and wearing a baseball cap suddenly stood up from his seat and bumped into me.
"I assumed he wanted to give up his seat, which I rejected, and proceeded to sit in the back. After one stop, the man got off the bus.
"When I reached JB Sentral 2, I went to top up my ManjaLink card. That was when I realised my wallet has been stolen. I then blocked my YouTrip card."
However, Diana realised that there were already three unauthorised transactions made in Malaysia using her card. Two transactions of RM35.40 (~S$10.80) and RM6.40 (~S$1.95) were made to 7-Eleven stores while a RM5 (~S$1.50) transaction was made to Yuxiaoer Mart.
Besides the ManjaLink and YouTrip cards, Diana also lost RM160 (~S$48.85) and S$19 cash. Her light brown wallet, worth about $20, puts her total losses at around $102.
The Stomper subsequently lodged a police report.
She said her bag had been not been "fully closed" when the man bumped into her and explained: "I had no time to prepare as people were boarding the bus, so I rushed over and opened my bag to get the bus fare.
"After the man banged into me and I was seated, I zipped my bag but did not check my wallet. If I had, I would have blocked my card immediately."
Diana has been unsuccessful in disputing the unauthorised transactions on her YouTrip card.
She told Stomp: "I sent YouTrip my police report and this is how they replied. Why would I give a false report, pay replacement fees, just so to escape paying S$10+? Too free and too rich?
"If anyone knows how else I can raise a dispute other than with YouTrip, please let me know."
Diana believes she was targeted as a lone woman, adding: "The man chose the back seats so that less people would see him in the act."
She further noted that she is not the first Singaporean to have fallen prey to theft on a bus in Johor Bahru. It was reported in December 2024 that a 72-year-old man discovered $450 and a credit card missing from his wallet after a bus ride from KSL City Mall to City Square.
Diana said: "I read about this similar incident. The fact that the culprit was able to steal a wallet, take out cash and but leave RM200 inside, it's really amazingly skilful.
"Money is a small matter. It's the hassle. I never wear any jewellery or bring my Identification Card and other credit cards when I go to JB. It would have been worse if I had lost my passport.
'"Doesn't matter whether you are male or female, or in crowded or secluded places. Hold your bags tight and check your belongings if anyone brushes past you.
"These thieves seem to stalk and target the vulnerable, elderly and lone women. By sharing my experience, I hope to warn as many people as possible."
