DENPASAR ~ Police arrested two high school students after they attempted to steal a cellphone and were beaten by a mob, an official said.

According to witnesses, the two students from SMKN (Vocational High School) 1 Denpasar, Harris Adhi Prayogie and Ananda Viziarto, tried to steal from Ida Ayu Intan Cahyatri, 16, as she rode next to them on her motorcycle on Jl. Nusa Kambangan.

Local people who witnessed the incident then surrounded the two students and beat them, before taking them to the police office.

At the police office, Prayogie claimed he only helped Ananda to make money to pay his school fees.

“Ananda needs money to pay his school fees,” Prayogie said.

Ananda said he needed money to pay his school fees because he lived alone without any family.

“My parents left me when I was in first grade. My mother is sick so my grandmother takes care of her in Java and my father has work in Bandung. My father sends me money but it often too little,” Ananda said.

Police said the case was under investigation.