Travelling to France any time soon? Read this first.
Just several weeks after Kim Kardashian was horrifically tied up and robbed at gunpoint in Paris, another multi-million-dollar heist has taken place in the French capital.
Two Qatari women were robbed of “at least €5 million [Dhs19.5 million]” when they were held up by masked men on a motorway near Le Bourget airport, Reuters reported.
The sisters, both aged in their 60s, were sprayed with tear gas before the criminals made off with cash, jewellery and clothing.
The pair were travelling in a rented Bentley with their driver along the road, which is a common location for armed hold-ups of wealthy tourists, AFP reported.
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A Saudi prince was robbed in the same area two years ago, according to the BBC, where he had Dhs1.1 million stolen by masked and armed men.
Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd wasn’t in the car at the time – instead the gang intercepted part of his convoy, where they took cash, the prince’s medication, and “sensitive diplomatic documents”.
A Korean art collector was also hijacked on the same stretch of road last year, where thieves made off with jewels worth Dhs15.6 million.
Following such a rise in crime, the French government announced this month that they would be installing more security cameras in areas preyed on by criminals.
But in the meantime, if you’re planning to travel to the European city any time soon, read these top tips…
How to stay safe while travelling
1. Think carefully about what you’re taking abroad. Do you really need your most expensive jewellery and accessories or can you do without them for a week? Leave your valuables stored safely at home if you can.
2. It can be tempted to exchange all your holiday money in cash in the rates are good, but your best bet is to travel with a small amount of notes and your credit card(s). Cash you won’t get back, but cards you can cancel within minutes should anything happen.
3. Style-wise, think about dialling it back when out and about. Keep anything that shouts money to a minimum, such as heavily designer-logoed items. If you’re wearing a Rolex or diamond earrings – even if they’re fakes – you look like you have something worth stealing.
4. Research popular crimes and rates for the areas you’re visiting. For example purse-slicing is common in St Petersburg. Necklace-snatching happens all over South America, and Naples is famous for its scooter-riding bandits, who snag purses on the move.
5. Keep bags close and in front of your body, not hanging behind. Never hang bags on the back of a café chair, leave them on the floor or in a shopping trolley, or on a bench in a shoe shop.
6. Photocopy the front and back of your credit cards and the first page of your passport,and email it to yourself so you have it on file. To be extra cautious, print and leave the copy in the hotel safe along with another credit card, so if you’re pickpocketed, you have an easy source of funds and the phone numbers, on the back of your cards, to cancel the accounts.
7. Cameras and mobile phones are highly desirable objects and far easier to steal than your wallet. Carry your camera on a wide, sturdy trap and don’t flash it in locations with a reputation for ‘grab and run’ crimes.
8. If you’re renting a car, don’t go for a luxury model. These are more likely targets for hold-ups.
Images: Getty
