A 75-year-old Singaporean woman had her bag containing valuables worth over S$2,000 stolen during her first trip to Europe on a 12-day cruise in November.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the woman, identified as Zheng, joined the European cruise with her 36-year-old goddaughter Cao. They departed on Nov 20 and began their 12-day journey, mostly staying on the cruise and only disembarking when they docked at piers.
On Nov 29, they arrived in Slovakia and visited a Christmas market. Worried that Zheng might be tired due to her age and the uneven pavements, Cao placed Zheng’s shoulder-slung bag into her own backpack for safekeeping.
When they returned to the cruise, Zheng wanted to retrieve her phone from the bags. It was then that they discovered the backpack had been unzipped and the sling bag was no longer inside. The stolen bag contained a passport, identity card, several bank cards, and about S$2,000 in cash.
They immediately informed the tour guide and agency and made a police report. Cao said they did not expect to encounter such a mishap during the last few days of their travels. The pair approached Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for help with returning to Singapore after the incident.
This was Zheng’s first visit to Europe, and she was enjoying herself until the theft occurred. She said she similarly did not expect to become a target in the final few days of the vacation. Apart from feeling heartbroken over the loss of her valuables, the trouble of replacing her official documents also added to her woes.
“In the final two days, I didn’t have the mood to enjoy anymore, so I just stayed on the cruise,” Zheng said, adding that the entire trip was affected by the theft.
Really kesian lah – first time go Europe then kena stolen like that. This is a reminder to all travelers to be extra careful with their belongings, especially in crowded tourist areas. Pickpockets are very skilled and can target anyone, especially elderly tourists.
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