Bali tattoo shop owner accuses two men – including an Aussie – of trashing his studio over a debt that isn’t his… leading to a wild street brawl
The owner of a tattoo studio in Bali has accused an Australian and another man of vandalizing his shop over a cash debt they claimed they owed.
Nizar Simahardy owns Evolve Ink Studio in Denpasar, the capital of the Indonesian holiday island, and filed a complaint with police about the alleged incident earlier this month.
He claimed that an Australian man named David and another man known as ‘Mike’ entered his store at around 6.30pm on June 2 and demanded money.
When Mr Simahardy’s staff refused the request, the pair allegedly smashed a glass refrigerator in the studio with a chair and returned later that evening and threw a rock at the store’s glass facade, causing a large crack.
The alleged act then led to a street fight as vigilantes tried to apprehend the two men in the area.
Mr Simahardy said he knew nothing of the debt the men claimed they owed because he only took over the lease of the tattoo studio about six months ago.
‘It’s not true. I don’t owe him any money,” he told Daily Mail Australia this week.
“Apparently he said the tattoo studio owner owed money. I bought it in December, so maybe it’s the ex-owner who owes him money.”
Nizar Simahardy (pictured) outside his tattoo parlor, Evolve Ink Studio in Denpasar, the capital of Bali, where he has put up a poster with the driver’s license of the man he claims smashed his window
After a stone was thrown at the tattoo shop window on June 2, a fight broke out in the street
Kuta Police Chief Ketut Agus Pasek Sudina confirmed that local police had received a complaint about the alleged incident and were investigating.
‘We are now looking for the perpetrator. We have also coordinated with immigration,” Mr Sudina said.
When asked if the accused Australian man had left Bali, Mr Sudina said he was not sure.
Mr Simahardy said on the evening of June 2 he left the store at around 6.20pm despite it being busy.
‘I left early because it was my child’s birthday. I had to go buy a birthday cake,” he said.
‘The studio was full of customers. The two men arrived about 10 minutes later, at 6:30 p.m.
“One of my friends, Tia, called me from the studio and said David was there and said we owed him money.”
Mr. Simahardy explained that he and Tia both knew the man because he was a customer at this tattoo studio and a previous one they ran at a nearby location.
He said Tia told David the studio had recently changed hands, but he didn’t seem to believe her and became angry before leaving minutes later.
“I heard the whole conversation over the phone and how David was angry with my staff,” Mr Simahardy said.
“I told them to be careful and call people out the next time they came.
‘A few minutes later, David came back and kept saying, “I want my money,” before grabbing a chair and hitting the chiller with the chair, damaging it.
‘My girlfriend called me again and I told her to take a picture. But she only took a picture of the chiller and not of David because I think she was in shock.”
According to the staff of the tattoo studio (photo), the men smashed a glass refrigerator with a chair
He said it was about 7pm when David and the other man left the studio and he ordered his staff to close up shop and go home.
‘I decided to go ahead with my plan for my child’s birthday and not go to the studio, but told them to close because I was afraid he would come back.’
However, later that evening around 10 p.m., a rock was thrown at the studio’s glass storefront, causing a large crack.
‘Fortunately [was] no one in the studio,” Mr. Simahardy said.
Employees at the neighboring art shop told him that the next day two “foreigners” were seen throwing a rock at the window, causing an altercation with bystanders.
Staff told him that when the pair tried to flee on a motorcycle, they collided with another foreigner, which then led to an all-out street brawl.
The two were eventually helped away by locals who dispersed the brawl.
Mr Simahardy said the damage to his store and its closure on a busy evening had cost him more than 10 million Indonesian rupiah (about $1,000 AUD) and he wants an apology to his shocked staff.
Mr Simahardy said his staff, including several women (left), were shocked and scared by the incident
He put up a poster with David’s driver’s license, which he had on file when he was a client.
It is understood the address on the permit is his mother’s home in Australia, where he has not lived for a number of years.
‘I think David is still here in Bali. My friend told me that he [may be in the] Uluwatu area,” he said.
“I just hope he can pay for the damages and be responsible for what he has [allegedly] finished.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted David for comment.