Claim: A video published by X user @frankjaan4555 shows a Pakistani family stealing bathroom accessories from a hotel in Malaysia.
Fact: The claim is false. The video is four years old and shows an Indian family stealing from a hotel in Bali, Indonesia. It was widely reported by Indian media outlets and confirmed by the Bali police.
On 10 January 2024, a video was posted on X by user @frankjaan4555 with the caption: “Pakistani family caught stealing bathroom accessories from a hotel in Malaysia. Shame on you Pakistanis!” The video shows a hotel staff member confronting a family and opening their luggage, which contains items such as towels, hangers, soap dispensers, and hair dryers. The family members then try to justify their actions and offer to pay for the items.
Fact or Fiction?
The video is not from Malaysia, nor does it show a Pakistani family. In fact, the video shows an Indian family stealing from a hotel in Bali, Indonesia, and dates back to July 2019.
A reverse image search of screenshots from the video led Soch Fact Check to reports by various mainstream Indian news websites, such as Hindustan Times, Brut India, NDTV, and others.
According to these reports, the incident was officially acknowledged by the Bali police in a Facebook update (archive) on 27 July 2019, noting that hotel security questioned the family of Indian nationals after receiving a report about the theft. The update further notes that the family admitted to their mistake and apologised to the hotel management. The family then returned some items and paid for the rest. This update was posted in the Indonesian language and has been translated into English for Soch Fact Check’s readers.
The Facebook post includes a photo of the family with their luggage and the stolen items, which matches the contents of the video posted on X.
Virality
The video which resurfaced on social media in January 2024, with false captions claiming that the family was Pakistani and the hotel was in Malaysia received more than 111,500 views, 830 likes and 275 reposts on X.
Conclusion: The claim that a video shows a Pakistani family stealing bathroom accessories from a hotel in Malaysia is false. The video shows an Indian family stealing from a hotel in Bali, Indonesia in July 2019 and the incident was confirmed by the Bali police as well as by Indian media outlets.
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Background image in cover photo: Eye on Asia
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