Locals dress thieves as Teletubbies before handing them to police in Indonesia

A neighbourhood in Indonesia caught attention online after residents used an unconventional method to deal with a group of alleged thieves.

For months, a homeowner in the area had dealt with repeated break-ins. He gathered his neighbours and set up an ambush for the culprits. The plan worked and the group intercepted and overpowered four suspected thieves under the cover of darkness.

Instead of turning to violence or simply waiting for police, the residents chose to publicly shame the suspects. Using rolls of duct tape, they immobilised the men’s limbs, wrapping them tightly to prevent any escape.

The neighbours then dressed all four suspects as characters from the children’s show Teletubbies.

A video showing the aftermath spread quickly on social media, showing the four suspects sitting side by side on the ground, wrapped in tape and dressed in makeshift outfits resembling Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po. They remained dressed this way as the neighbourhood watch contacted police and waited for them to arrive.

When police reached the scene, they found the four suspects still bound and dressed as the Teletubbies characters, ready to be taken into custody.