Being robbed on the road

Savvy travelers are supposed to know what to do, and what not to do, in order to avoid being ripped off. But even the most sophisticated ones have been victims of nefarious characters and acts that have turned their trips into ones from hell.

You’ve read the rules: Don’t carry a wallet that’s easy to snatch, separate your valuables, make photocopies of everything, never carry your passport once you reached your destination (a copy of key pages will do). Try not to like a tourist; often easier said than done. Don’t look at maps in public and whatever you do, don’t have that “where am I look” spread all over your face.

Avoid crowded places and run like hell if you spot a family of gypsies in the subway, because they may be working in groups and are experts at faster than the eye can see, hit and run robberies. Gone is your money not to mention other valuables. Do not put anything more in backpacks than you can afford to lose and always watch your purse and camera. Never get sloppy or you may be sorry. Be on your guard and on the lookout. This isn’t to scare you, but better be safe than sorry.

Don’t flash digi-cams, i-pods, cell phones and all of the electronic gadgets that appear to be part of the affluent travelers’ accessories. It’s only common sense you should leave your Rolex and expensive jewelry home. But, I’ll never forget the time I was in the New York City subway wearing a very clunky gold necklace that must have cost at least $25. A man approached me and advised I should cover it up or take it off. This took me by surprise. But he was right in saying not every thief knows what’s valuable and what’s not. And why have my throat slit over a piece of costume junk.

A colleague related that when she was traveling as a student, she was robbed when she was asleep. Her hotel had a balcony and the doors were protected by wooden shutters. The thief wrenched them open and stole her jewelry off the night table.

Some years later she was nearly robbed on an overnight train in Europe. She’d stretched out on the seat with her feet facing the door and tucked under her purse under her head. She was awakened abruptly as someone was trying to yank her purse. Lessons learned: don’t stay in seedy hotels or sleep in an open compartment on an overnight train.

Another heist: when biking through Europe – London to Athens, a couple was camping by the side of the (empty) road. They had leaned their bicycles outside a small tent and had left their bags on the bikes. During the night, someone removed one bag and emptied it. That bag was subsequently filled it with what the robber found of value from the other bags. The bikers should have kept their bags in the tent and should have locked the bicycles together.

Thieves love cameras. Try to conceal yours as best as possible and don’t transport them in a bag sporting the Nikon logo. Locals advised one tourist to strap the camera around his wrist in such away the camera would have been difficult to grab without taking his wrist as well.

Many women let their guard down when sitting in a nice restaurant, cafe or even in a casino. All they need to do is look away for a minute and their purse is gone. Wear a purse that’s secured around your body, attached to the rear leg of your chair and contains so little (one credit card, minimal cash and a copy of the key pages of your passport) that if it were to be ripped off, your trip won’t be ruined. Women can always replace a lipstick and make-up. But come to think of it, if you’re wearing prescription glasses, bring a copy of the prescription in case you are liberated of them.

The worst story I heard about a vacation being ruined was when some friends rented a house on the Côte d’Azur. While they were in the garden dining and dancing, a robber took his time inside the house and collected all the guests’ airline tickets, passports, jewelry and money and made off like a bandit. As the group spent the rest of their vacation in the US Consulate’s office in Nice, they were less than thrilled they had the opportunity to be bit-part actors in the 1955 movie, “To Catch a Thief,” directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Another victim recounted his train trip from Amsterdam to Schiphol Airport. He was sitting near the front of one car with his feet on one bag and an arm on the other. At an intermediate stop, a man asked if this were the stop for something-or-other. When he said he didn’t know, the man walked behind him and yelled he needed to know before the train left the station. At that moment, the robber’s accomplice grabbed the bag and out it went out the front door. The questioner exited, the door closed and the train took off. Someone else said she’d called the police and they wanted a description. He took her phone and detailed the incident. Upon reflection, he’s convinced she’d dialed the cell phone belonging to one of the robbers, who wanted feedback on their technique and his description. There went his videocam with all the pictures of the trip plus some presents.

What can you do:

• 1. Travel with less luggage where you can keep track of your things
• 2. Keep all of them together
• 3. If you think there are chances for theft, lock your luggage together with some chains
• 4. Never accept food from strangers; it may be laced with sedatives
• 5. Keep an eye on your important items
• 6. Keep the most valuable stuff where a stranger can’t reach
• 7. Travel by a safer transport system

If someone offers to help you with your bags when you’re boarding a train, be sure your purse or where you’re carrying your documents are with you and don’t disappear complements of this good Samaritan.

My personal drama was when my husband and I were driving on the French autoroute in our car with Paris license plates. We were lost and he pulled off to the side of the road. We hadn’t noticed some kids on motor bikes were following us and after we stopped to look at the map, I rolled my window down a tiny bit to get some air. A hand came in and grabbed my purse, simultaneously unlocking the door.

I held onto the purse (that had EVERYTHING) until the young man started dragging me. I’ve replayed that incident in my mind so many times. I spent the vacation in Corsica on the phone with credit card companies and trying to obtain another passport.

Recently, the French government stopped issuing license plates that indicate where a car is registered. But, I’m still annoyed.

If you’ve had experiences you’re willing to share, post away. More importantly, how have you handled the situation?

Karen Fawcett is president of Bonjour Paris

Tagged as: robbery, safety, travel smarts