Report Something Stolen Abroad

Nothing is scarier than being robbed in a foreign country. However, you can certainly get home safely with a little planning. Report all stolen valuables to the police and get a police report. If your passport was stolen, contact your nearest embassy or consulate to obtain a replacement. With luck, your valuables were insured, so you can file an insurance claim.

Steps

Reporting Valuables as Stolen

1. Write down everything that was stolen. You might be panicked, but try to find a quiet spot. Sit down and write out a list of everything you lost. If your wallet was stolen, then identify as best you can all of the credit cards that were in the wallet.
2. Note important details of the crime. You also need to give the police basic information about the theft. Gather as much of the following information as possible:
   • where you were
   • date and time
   • names of any witnesses or third parties
   • car registration numbers
   • pictures of the location where your items were stolen
3. Contact the police. You should report your missing items to the police. Ask the hotel to connect you to the local police. If you need someone to translate for you, then ask the people at the hotel desk where you can find a translator.
   • Don’t expect the police to get your valuables back. They are usually too busy. Nevertheless, you need to report the theft, particularly if you hope to file an insurance claim later.
   • Remember to get a copy of the police report before you leave.
   • If you find the police unhelpful, visit your nearest embassy or consulate for help.
4. Inform your hotel of the theft. Items might have been stolen from your hotel room. Tell the concierge what was stolen and when you think it happened. Write down the name of who you speak to. It’s unlikely that the hotel will reimburse you for the loss, but they might be able to recover the items if an employee stole them.
5. Cancel your credit cards. Go online and find the phone number for customer service for each credit card issuer. Call them and report that your cards were stolen. They can freeze your accounts and issue new cards. If you have online accounts, you can log in and report the cards as missing that way.
   • When you get home, you should follow up with a letter, but you can hold off on the letter until you are home.
   • Avoid delay. The sooner you report the loss, the less likely someone will make charges to your cards.
6. Contact your bank. If your debit card or personal checks were stolen, then tell the bank so that they can freeze your accounts. Don’t delay. If you report the card missing before someone uses it, then you aren’t responsible for any charges made on the card.
7. Freeze your credit accounts. A thief who stole your wallet or purse might use your personal information to take out loans in your name. Prevent this from happening by calling one of the national credit bureaus and ask that your account be frozen. Provide your name, address, date of birth, and Social Security Number. You will be charged a small fee. Call the following:
   • Equifax: 1-800-349-9960
   • Experian: 1-888-397-3742
   • TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872
8. Cancel your phone service. If someone stole your cell phone, they’re probably going to use it. You should call up the cell phone provider and cancel your service before the thief racks up charges. Search online for the customer service number.

Reporting a Stolen Passport

1. Report the theft to the police. Go to the nearest police station and report that your passport was stolen. Provide whatever information you have about the possible thief, and remember to get a copy of the police report before you leave.
   • However, don’t report the stolen passport to the police if doing so will cause you to delay your travel home.
2. Contact the nearest consulate or embassy. If your passport is stolen, you’ll need to replace it before you return home. Find your home country’s nearest embassy or consulate. Look online.
3. Gather appropriate documents. You need to present the consulate with sufficient documents to get a replacement passport. It’s okay if you don’t have everything. The consulate will look at what you have and try to help you. If you’re from the U.S., then try to gather the following:
   • a passport photo (2x2 inches and taken within the past six months)
   • personal identification, such as your driver’s license
   • proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate or photocopy of your missing passport
   • your travel itinerary
   • police report
   • a statement regarding the stolen passport, which you can complete at the consulate
   • an application for a passport, which you can complete at the consulate
4. Pay your fee. Ask how much a replacement passport costs. It might cost less if you are getting only a temporary, emergency passport. Talk with the consulate if all of your money has been stolen. If you need money, you can have someone at home wire you money using Western Union.
5. Receive your replacement passport. For U.S. travelers, you may receive a replacement passport that is valid for ten years. However, you might be issued a limited-validity emergency passport if your travel plans are urgent. When you return home, you’ll turn in your emergency passport.
   • You might also receive only an emergency passport if you need to borrow money from the consulate to fund your travel back home.

Submitting an Insurance Claim

1. Check if you’re covered. You might have travel insurance policy or a valuable items insurance policy. Take out the policy and read to see if your stolen valuables are covered.
   • For example, a valuable items insurance policy typically only covers items you have listed on the policy. If you acquired property while on holiday, they may be partially covered for a limited amount of time.
   • Also research how much you can get back from the insurance company. Many travel insurance policies only allow you to get back a few hundred dollars.
2. Gather supporting documentation. Insurers can be quite picky about details when you file a claim. Accordingly, get all required information lined up before contacting them. Gather the following:
   • copy of the police report
   • foreign currency exchange receipt, if money was stolen
   • receipt or other proof you own the item
3. Contact your insurer quickly. Each insurer has different deadlines for reporting the loss. Read your policy to find out. However, you should call as soon as reasonably possible, even if you are still on your trip.
   • When you call, explain your loss to the insurance investigator. You may also need to complete a written Proof of Loss report.
4. Check how you will be reimbursed. Read your policy to find out which method your insurer will use to calculate your reimbursement. For example, some items will have an agreed-upon value as stated in your insurance policy.
   • Alternately, the insurer might reimburse you the amount to replace your property with a substantially identical item.
   • The insurer might also choose to give you the actual cash value of the property.

Sources and Citations

See also

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• Make a Mugger's Wallet
• Prevent Being Pickpocketed
• Prevent Purse Snatching
• Make an Elevator an Express Elevator
• React if You Fall off a Cruise Ship
• Recognize Signs of Terrorist Activities
• Survive a Plane Crash
• Survive a Riot
• Escape a Stranded Elevator

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