Dangerous theft in my apt room

The first thing, and I hope you've done it, is report the stolen passport to your embassy.
That doesn't kill the problem, but it helps a lot.

For future reference, dont leave windows and doors open that dont have any type of security on them. The locals lock and secure everything for good reason.

These gangs operate a lot in areas where there are expats.

Where did it happen ?

Calm down. We all have our stories. Just go and get a new passport and visa. The cops aren’t going to mobilize their FBI to hunt for your passport. This sort of thing happens ever day.  This ain ‘t Kansas.
Good luck and be careful.

Mojo, Cops usually won't do anything when it's an opportunistic theft say an item unattended less than a minute in a bus stop waiting room etc. This is about an organized professional theft perhaps gang. I already got an impression that they won't pursue the case actively although an organized crime

Laurent, hcmc dist-4 beside galaxy 9

Colin, Yes ofcourse the doors were locked. I'll get schizophrenic if I have to lock windows for sleeping. In future for renting, one more point to check if the windows are grilled and or if the building is climbable

Fred, Passport isn't bank card, very unlikely anyone can use it. Once I report lost /stolen I can't use if found. I took 2 weeks time with hope that someone may find it after thrown away by the thieves. Anything you would mention please what helps quick reporting to embassy

Adam2005 wrote:

Fred, Passport isn't bank card, very unlikely anyone can use it.

No, passport is not a bankcard but its value can be a whole lot more precious in the wrong hands, the reason more than 25 million passport numbers (more than 5 million unencrypted and more than 20 million encrypted) were stolen from the Marriott-owned Starwood hotel network just in 2018 alone.

CNBC reported that "Passport data sells in three formats: digital scans ($5-$65), templates for creating a finished passport ($29-$89), and actual physical passports (up to $5,000).  A forged passport can routinely cost $1,000 to $2,000, and that includes not just a victim’s stolen or leaked passport information, but other items that make the passport workable in many countries."

I actually would rather lose a bankcard than my passport.  I can cancel a bankcard in less than 5 minutes over free Skype and receive a replacement, no delivery cost, in 3 or 4 business days (sending from the States using FedEx), but it's a lot more hassle to do the same with passport.

Ciambella wrote:

Adam2005 wrote:

Fred, Passport isn't bank card, very unlikely anyone can use it.

No, passport is not a bankcard but its value can be a whole lot more precious in the wrong hands, the reason more than 25 million passport numbers (more than 5 million unencrypted and more than 20 million encrypted) were stolen from the Marriott-owned Starwood hotel network just in 2018 alone.

CNBC reported that "Passport data sells in three formats: digital scans ($5-$65), templates for creating a finished passport ($29-$89), and actual physical passports (up to $5,000).  A forged passport can routinely cost $1,000 to $2,000, and that includes not just a victim’s stolen or leaked passport information, but other items that make the passport workable in many countries."

I actually would rather lose a bankcard than my passport.  I can cancel a bankcard in less than 5 minutes over free Skype and receive a replacement, no delivery cost, in 3 or 4 business days (sending from the States using FedEx), but it's a lot more hassle to do the same with passport.

Ciambella, that sounds like a great deal you have with your bank. (a US bank, I presume). US banks can be a big problem, since most of them will close your account if they find out you are not living in the US, even if you're a US citizen. How are you able to get around this limitation and get free Fedex replacement delivery to VN as well?

hyagly256 wrote:

Ciambella, that sounds like a great deal you have with your bank. (a US bank, I presume). US banks can be a big problem, since most of them will close your account if they find out you are not living in the US, even if you're a US citizen. How are you able to get around this limitation and get free Fedex replacement delivery to VN as well?

Many American expats have Charles Schwab as their main bank because Schwab has a high daily withdrawal limit ($1000/day, higher upon request) and refunds ATM fees worldwide.  Schwab sent our replacement cards to Vietnam once by FedEx, free of shipping charge. 

Bank of America sent our replacement cards free of shipping charge 3 times, each time they used a different courier -- UPS, FedEx, and DHL -- even though I've always requested FedEx because in my experience with couriers who do business in Vietnam, FedEx is the best.

Chase and Barclay also have our address and phone number, but we haven't needed replacement cards from them yet so I have no idea about the charge.

All 4 banks know that we live abroad; they have our address and phone number on record.  Before moving to Vietnam, we went to all the banks to let them know of our move and signed whatever paperwork they wanted us to sign.

Disclaimer:  My daughter who lives in CA is our power-of-attorney on record with all banks.  I don't know if that makes any difference; I don't think it should because in every conversation, they knew that we called from Vietnam and that we live here.

Interesting, thanks for the info. I know many expats have problems with US banks trying to close their accounts when they find out they don't live in the US. Sounds like you have found the good banks that don't follow this annoying policy.

hyagly256 wrote:

Interesting, thanks for the info. I know many expats have problems with US banks trying to close their accounts when they find out they don't live in the US. Sounds like you have found the good banks that don't follow this annoying policy.

Many forum members who are American expats (and one who is not) are Schwab's clients.  All of them will tell you that they don't have any problem whatsoever with Schwab in regard to their country of residence.

Bank of America didn't close our account when we moved to Italy either.

Adam. I'm sorry to hear about your experience. It really sucks to go through such an experience in a foreign country. Unfortunately, the likelihood of your personal items being retrieved is very unlikely. I have been living here for several years and know many foreigners + local Vietnamese who have been pickpocketed (mostly in Bui Vien), experienced home burglaries and had their personal belongings snatched by guys on bikes (alibaba). I have not heard one case in which police found the suspect and retrieved the stolen items. Your report will be put into a pile that will just collect dust, along with the other hundreds of same reports filed daily.

You were asking if there is a higher level of government you can write to. Unless you know someone or you yourself is someone of importance, your complaint or report will be ignored. The best option is to go to your embassy or consulate office to report the lost items, especially your passport. When your embassy/consulate office reports the case to the local authorities, they will be pushed to take some action.

Lastly, district 4 is notoriously known for having many gang activities in the area. There has been some reduction in crime over the years, but not significant. Also, I've noticed you mentioned that you live besides Galaxy 9, which makes me assume you live in the smaller houses nearby. I don't know how long you have lived in HCMC, but to choose an area with high gang activity and to choose to live in a less secure home, it definitely increased your chances of experiencing such a crime. I understand that everyone has different financial situations, but I would suggest you live in a high rise apartment with security (Millenium, Saigon Royal, Tressor, Goldview to name a few). It may not be the perfect barrier for theft, but the likelihood of a burglar coming into your home lessens.

Hope there is a miracle and you are able to get your passport back.

cm1204 wrote:

Adam. I'm sorry to hear about your experience. It really sucks to go through such an experience in a foreign country. Unfortunately, the likelihood of your personal items being retrieved is very unlikely. I have been living here for several years and know many foreigners + local Vietnamese who have been pickpocketed (mostly in Bui Vien), experienced home burglaries and had their personal belongings snatched by guys on bikes (alibaba). I have not heard one case in which police found the suspect and retrieved the stolen items. Your report will be put into a pile that will just collect dust, along with the other hundreds of same reports filed daily.

You were asking if there is a higher level of government you can write to. Unless you know someone or you yourself is someone of importance, your complaint or report will be ignored. The best option is to go to your embassy or consulate office to report the lost items, especially your passport. When your embassy/consulate office reports the case to the local authorities, they will be pushed to take some action.

Lastly, district 4 is notoriously known for having many gang activities in the area. There has been some reduction in crime over the years, but not significant. Also, I've noticed you mentioned that you live besides Galaxy 9, which makes me assume you live in the smaller houses nearby. I don't know how long you have lived in HCMC, but to choose an area with high gang activity and to choose to live in a less secure home, it definitely increased your chances of experiencing such a crime. I understand that everyone has different financial situations, but I would suggest you live in a high rise apartment with security (Millenium, Saigon Royal, Tressor, Goldview to name a few). It may not be the perfect barrier for theft, but the likelihood of a burglar coming into your home lessens.

Hope there is a miracle and you are able to get your passport back.

Sadly having contacts in any government service doesn't guarantee results, the only thing any official cares about is cash - under the counter shady deals are rife everywhere

It can happen every where. I worked for NATO in Naples, Italy when my passport was stolen. I reported it same day. However, 3 months later I was stopped at the military gate because someone was using my passport, (my name) to smuggle drugs in the country. My name was in  nation wide criminal list.
Now I keep my passport on my person at all times.  It does not stop me from loving travel.

Tristanriabo , Carrying your passport on your person at all times ,would have to be less safe than leaving it in your home or  Hotel room surely! ,  Especially if you are still in "the city of thieves" as Naples is know as, I have been Rob there too and though i love the city avoid it when travelling in Italy. And Rome isn't any better.

Adam,

Sorry to hear your story, and no, don't lose your passport. Bank cards can be blocked with a phone call (do you know the number(s) to call?), but passports require contact with your embassy/consulate (if it's not closed), and as several people here have said, can be worth a fortune and cause lots of problems down the track (drug smuggling etc). With digital passports these days, they can't simply replace a photo, but the data is still worth a helluva lot.

Re knowing number(s) to call, make a photocopy of all your valuable documentation and keep it somewhere on/near your person, with someone back home who cares, and/or locked somewhere on Google or in the cloud.

Re locking windows even in apartments, yes, bars on the window frames do help. If there aren't any, ask your landlord/lady. It should be as natural as Internet/WiFi in the house.

I lived in a highrise building in Australia, 14th floor, some years ago. A professional thief (dubbed Spiderman by the media) climbed onto the balconies, mine included, and simply walked into the open apartment, stealing jewellery, keys, wallets, stuffed them into his backpack and carried on. Was never caught. Lesson learned - I never keep anything open now, even on the 14th floor!

I'm very sorry about what happened to you. You definitely don't have to leave it like this. The police must work well and perform their duties to the fullest. But if that doesn't happen, then you definitely need to go higher. I also had problems with theft. The police didn't want to investigate the case. Thank you that I had Ajax installed at that time and I provided the video with the theft, apparently, they thought that in this case it would be easier to close this case with the video, and they started doing something and working. But in general, it is very difficult to get them to do their job.

Little or no chance of police taking any acyion, lack of resources means a lot of petty crime goes ignored