Theft and Survival in Amsterdam

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Theft and Survival in Amsterdam

- Piprey on wheels

Life brings unexpected surprises which is a test to your life skills and survival.

My experience in Amsterdam opened up a new outlook to the meaning of safe travel. Are developed countries safe?

I was travelling in Eurostar from London St Pancras to Amsterdam Central. At Brussels, there was an announcement that there were thefts in the train and to mind the bags. I kept an eye on the big suitcase specially when the train stopped at the four stations.

The laptop bag was on the overhead shelf to my right, just across while I sat at the aisle.

I had a window seat but a lady from Israel wanted to cherish the abundant waters and scenic beauty of Dutch landscape. I had offered her my window seat. Her husband was sitting behind me on the aisle. They were flying back to Tel Aviv, the next day.

After Rotterdam Central, the final destination was Amsterdam. I chatted with my co-passenger about my fascinating experience in Israel.

Meanwhile, the train announced approaching destination. I looked up and my laptop bag was gone!

Instead, there was a yellow bag filled with rubbish papers. I did exclaim that this is not my bag, where is my bag? Except my co-passenger, no one bothered 😞

People stood in line with their bags to get off. I am sure the thief was also in the train probably in another compartment, waiting to get off.

There was no railway police or duty manager for the safety of the passengers in Eurostar. I went up and down the train, looking for a duty manager.

Finally, someone did arrive but he said there was no bag on the shelf anywhere in the train. Second he remarked as to why was I not careful after the announcement?

My money, passport, laptop, papers, mobile phone, everything was in the bag.

I was penniless in a new city. My Israel co-passenger was not carrying cash but she offered her phone but I did not remember any phone number.

My new business partner was supposed to pick me up from the station but how would be contact me? I did not have any money or the address of my stay in Amsterdam.

The train duty manager offered to escort me to the lost and found of Amsterdam Central station but offered little hope.

It seems to be common. I handed over the small yellow handbag. Later, I was informed that there were at least 5/6 bags stolen and no one came to claim the yellow bag.

I was flustered. I somehow managed to walk by myself with my suitcase to the nearest police station about half a mile from the railway station.

The police station was an ocean of calm. No urgency to attend to foreigners like me.

I had to cancel my cards but they asked me to wait till someone can attend. I filled up a form with a list of lost items. Then a middle aged/ slightly senior policeman came over to search for some telephone numbers of the banks.

He said to mind my suitcase as there were thieves. Even in a police station with four police personnel around?

He remarked that I looked ‘rich’ which is why the thieves targeted me. Really, was it true for the other 5 people who lost their luggage?

He found some of the numbers and I contacted the banks to cancel my card. Then he grew impatient and said my friend should help me as he had to attend to other customers.

Meanwhile, a kind person whose purse was stolen in the dance club, the previous night offered her phone. I found my business partners mobile number on Linkedin.

I called him from the police station. In the meantime, I was automatically checked out from Linkedin. I could not reach any of my emails as all wanted me to authenticate which was impossible without my mobile phone!

My business partner came to pick me up from the police station.

He bought me a new sim card, lent me an old mobile, gave me cash, contacted office for replacement laptop and took me to my home stay.

Indeed, as an expat in a foreign land, it was a new experience to be entirely dependent on a person whom I physically met for the first time.

It was a Saturday. I freshened up and got some lunch from outside. The only number I remembered was that of my cousin. She did not pick up phone. I called her early next morning so that she could inform my father that I would not reachable for a some time.

Next steps was applying for emergency documents to British embassy on their website. It was clearly mentioned that they would not proceed if I did not pay 100 GBP! My business partner kindly offered to make online payment.

I took leave on Wednesday and collected the emergency passport in 2 days from British consular service at Hague. My business partner's daughter brought some more cash so that I can spend on food and local travel to office among others.

Office kindly issued me a new laptop and I completed my work and business meetings.

On my return in Eurostar, my emergency passport was taken by the border control as per the process but she gave me a photocopy as there was no identification paper with me without the passport.

I was very careful with my luggage and laptop bag. I did not exchange my Euros to GBP in Amsterdam because if for some reason, I could not travel, I could probably be left without cash.

Unfortunately, when I arrived at London Euston station, all Forex was closed.

I did not have card or money to buy ticket to go home from the railway station. Since it was past 11.30pm, I simply walked in and out of the trains as the barricades were open.

When I reached home, my housemate did not hear me banging the door. My new neighbour tried to call him but he was not reachable. She even tried to call my landlord but he did not pick up the phone. He saw the messages but did not reply.

Another neighbour got suspicious of me and suggested I look for a room down the road. Before travelling, I had looked up hotels near my house, just in case but all were fully booked on a Friday evening.

With my luggage, I walked up to a Bed and Breakfast which was full. Further down, there was a 3 star hotel for 137 GBP per room which the kind manager looked up for me. I offered 97 Euro which he refused to take but he paid for the room from his own pocket. The next day, I returned the money with a box of chocolates.

The next day, my house mate opened the door and said he had switched off his phone and was sleeping. He contacted the landlord and I collected the spare keys from his garage.

My new sim and bank card had arrived. Immediately set about activating the new sim card.

Since I used home network with my original sim, I was finally able to access my emails.

Applied for my replacement passport which arrived within 10 days and my Indian visa took over 2 months for the whole process to be completed.

All kinds of transactions were done mostly at the Amsterdam train station to top up travel cards by the thieves. They attempted to use it in the supermarkets which got declined by the banks as the system recognised fraud. Around 400 Euro was reversed. Yet, is there no CCTV to capture thieves in Amsterdam Central station?

Getting my new India sim was an ordeal. My father had to personally visit an Airtel center with my self attested passport, police report etc. They wanted a fresh copy as my picture was not clear. For all these activities, I had to run to my local library and use the photocopy/scanning services in between and after my work hours. Then my aunt who was travelling to UK, brought the sim card along which I collected from the airport. Without Indian sim card which is used for two factor authentication, you cannot carry out any government transaction in India.

After all this, Aviva insurance kept asking for receipts for my claims. I did not have a photo of my camera. I checked an old photo that I had taken to check out my new dress in the mirror which had my camera in it.

Giving details of my lost phone was an ordeal as it was old and I did not have a receipt.

Every 2 weeks, insurance would reply with new information required like what is the expiry date of the old passport? The reason is that they calculate payment based on number of years it would have been valid.

For the sim card cost, they paid 36 GBP and I had to mention it was 36Euro. They completely forgot about 100 GBP for emergency passport.

The circus of my Amsterdam episode claim was around 400 GBP without excess of 50 GBP.

I did not get reimbursement for my one-night hotel stay.

There are no scenery photos for this blog because there was no phone or camera but a police report in Dutch and emergency passport photo might be of interest to you.

I bought a small bag to keep important documents on my body as I was informed that thieves are active even in flights!

It is always good to be prepared for any eventuality when you travel especially when you are a solo traveller.

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Photos

Emergency passport
You need to collect from the British embassy or possibly get it couriered. You cannot leave the country without it.

Dutch police report
Impeccable report but zero support to catch thieves and prevent crime.

Screenshot of how to block cards
You must have a phone to do it.

Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

How horrible
I'm sorry you had this experience.