A man from Singapore bought an anti-theft backpack to ward off pickpockets in Europe, only for the bag, which contained S$1,000 worth of valuables, to get stolen during a train ride.
Chen Yuneng (transliteration), told Shin Min Daily News that he departed Singapore on April 19, with stops in New York, Frankfurt, and Brussels on his itinerary.
The 42-year-old’s trip went swimmingly until he boarded a train from Frankfurt to Brussels on April 25.
As he gathered his luggage about 10 minutes before arriving at the destination, Mr Chen realised that the backpack he placed on the luggage rack was missing. A search of the train carriage also turned up empty.
The backpack reportedly contained:
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About S$500 in cashTwo credit cardsThree debit cards,Mr Chen’s Identity card, earphones, jacket, and medicine
Mr Chen immediately called the police and contacted the respective banks to freeze his cards.
Despite this, his card was fraudulently used, resulting in a S$315 loss. Including the cash and various valuables in Mr Chen’s backpack, the loss was estimated to be around S$1,000.
“Luckily, my phone, passport, and laptop were still with me, so I can use Apple Pay for transactions,” Mr Chen said.
Aware of Europe’s pickpocketing problem, Mr Chen purchased an anti-theft bag for about S$50 so he could separate his cash and credit cards. However, he did not expect his entire backpack to be stolen.
Checks by Stomp found similar anti-theft backpacks listed online for between S$27 and S$218.
‘During my trip, I was always on high alert and wouldn’t even wear my earphones. I stayed away from suspicious-looking individuals, but I still encountered disaster. Even though I had bought travel insurance, it only covers lost items. I was also required to provide receipt for those items, so I ended up having to bear part of the losses.”
Theft appears to be targeted
Mr Chen said that he was on his laptop for the majority of the three-hour train ride, only closing his eyes to rest for a few minutes each time.
When he realised his bag was missing, Mr Chen initially hoped only his wallet had been stolen, but he could not find his backpack anywhere.
“When I was looking for my belongings, an elderly man nearby mentioned that another man came over and chatted with him, and even gave him a book. Afterwards, he took a backpack and left. I believe that was a distraction tactic,” Mr Chen theorised.
After disembarking from the train, Mr Chen heard an announcement from the train captain cautioning passengers to be on alert as there was a thief on board.
“I thought they were operating as a group. It appears I was the only solo traveller in the train carriage, so I was targeted,” said Mr Chen.
Take precautions when travelling to Europe
Wyman Poon, president of Society of Tourist Guides Singapore (STGS), advised travellers to keep a low profile when heading to Europe — avoid wearing branded goods and separate their passports and cash. Additionally, he urged travellers to carry their backpacks in front of them when travelling on trains and to attach anti-theft straps to their phones.
“Tourists should also check the reviews and safety ratings for their accommodation, and be sure to lock their luggage before leaving the room,” Mr Poon said.
If one were to encounter “fabricated interactions” such as someone asking for directions, pretending to fall, or requesting to take photos, walk away immediately. When dining, travellers should also loop their bag strap around a chair leg or to their body.
“If you’re on a road trip, never leave any bags, clothes, or valuables in sight to reduce risk of a break-in,” Mr Poon said.
Former STGS president Howard Lim added that many such robbery cases are carried out by gangs: “Such incidents are not new and police are unable to recover the stolen items and money. Reports can only be used as grounds for compensation claims, so travellers still have to be careful.”
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