Reporter
carisa.lee@cnc3.co.tt
A popular German backpacker, who was documenting his walk through Trinidad on TikTok, has been robbed.
But he has vowed to continue to showcase the good in this country.
Tilo Kruse, 20, who began his walk from Toco to Icacos on Monday, took to social media to reveal he was attacked and robbed by criminals.
Kruse said he was attacked by criminals as he walked near Mathura. In a video yesterday, he showed that the bandits emerged from a bushy area and depicted how he was attacked and thrown on the ground. He said he managed to run and stopped a passing motorist, who allowed him to jump into their vehicle as he fled the attackers.
Kruse said he made a police report.
The incident came even as police said they would be looking out for the German backpacker.
Head of the Toco Police Station, Sgt Chris Edwards, said officers were looking out for Kruse through patrols in the area.
He added that when the backpacker exits Toco, he will communicate with his counterparts in the next district about what Kruse is doing as well.
Kruse is walking 250 kilometres in 16 days to show that Trinidad and Tobago has more to offer than just the negative stories seen on the news.
“Because so far, all the people I’ve met here are super nice to me, they buy me food, I’ve been invited to trips with strangers, I’ve been given a place to sleep, and all the people I just met randomly on the street,” Kruse said on Monday.
But despite his ordeal, the 20-year-old said he will not stop his foot journey through the country and still believes in the goodness of citizens.
“I still continue my journey, I still believe that most people in Trinidad are good but there definitely are some criminals out there. I am going to continue my walk, but I am going to be honest and share this with you guys,” he said.
On the first day of his walk, one man gave Kruse $40, while another man gave him water. Kruse was also invited to Radio Toco 106.7 for an interview and another woman stopped and gave him $100.
He then remembered that his goal was to embark on a penny-less journey so instead Kruse bought $140 TT in snacks from a local shop, put them in a box, wrote free snacks, and left it by a shed for people to take.
After 11 kilometres of walking Kruse stopped in Cumana at the Roman Catholic Church on the Toco Main Road, where he got a place to sleep.
“I met two wonderful nice ladies in the church today and they allowed me to sleep in this church tonight, people might think that I get a place to sleep here because of social media,” he said then.
Kruse said he exchanged approximately two hours of labour and in return got a place to safely sleep and wash up.
On Tuesday, Kruse was treated to water at a bar and bake with a local delicacy, all free of charge.
