Heist in Split Croatia

[luxury-lizard]

Mr LL and I are currently in Zermatt but have just completed 2 weeks in Croatia - while in Split our almost new high-security holiday apartment was broken into and the safe literally ripped out of the cupboard. It contained our passports, substantial cash, my wallet with credit and bank cards, jewellery, our house keys and car keys, etc. to add insult to injury, the thieves also emptied the contents of a brand new suitcase on the floor and used this to transport the safe (police have security video of this). Fortunately Mr LL had his wallet and both our phones with him at the time of break-in (middle of the day) - the thieves also left a MacBook hiding in plain site on a table (must have been Windows guys).

Now after all the hassle of returning the Zagreb to get emergency passports re-issued, we just contacted BWM to order 2 new keys - cost $2200 !!! and I thought all the thieves were in Croatia !!! As a precaution we also had our building manager to get our door locks replaced and security fobs cancelled.

Now while I presume this and other losses (except cash and maybe jewellery) will be covered by travel insurance. While some may ask why travel overseas with your car keys - we do so on the theory if someone breaks in to your house while you're away at least they can't steal your car.

This has sort of put us off holiday apartments; however, we are currently staying in a holiday apartment in Zermatt which does not even have a safe - paranoid procedures for hiding passports and cards in place.

 

[love_the_life]

That really sucks as they say. It sounds like the safe was fairly easy for the thieves to rip out. Sounds like they might've cased the place as well as they could have known you were tourists so likely to have money, passports etc in the safe.
I think you are probably well justified to be paranoid about hiding your passports etc.
It is a good lesson for me as I am a bit slack at times and if I put stuff in the safe I just assume it is secure,
I know your car so you certainly don't want the keys turning up. in the wrong hands, similarly with home - a good move to have the locks changed.
Are you skiing? Though it's a bit late in the season come to think of it.

 

[luxury-lizard]

Hi l-t-l, we were here skiing at the end of March - back now hiking - was hot to start with but now low-mid 20's during the day an 14C overnight.

On the heist front - owner entered the unit around 1pm with a tradesman (she sent an e-mail asking us if ok but we did not see it until later). When we returned around 2pm the break-in had taken place. Owner claimed she was with the tradesman the entire time - and from her re-action when attending the scene of the crime with the police I would say she was definitely not involved (she was so shocked she almost collapsed). 2 police officers, 2 detectives and 1 forensic technician attended the scene - taking fingerprints, photos, downloading security footage - so maybe the tradesman left a door to the terrace unlocked or was somehow involved (who knows) - but clearly a holiday apartment is not as secure as a (high end) hotel. The safe was fastened to a shelf in the cupboard so the thieves just smashed the shelf on either side of the safe - clearly not a totally secure installation.

Anyway - these things can happen anywhere but it made us realise how easily you can become complacent about security when travelling.

 

[Pushka]

I think it’s an issue for AirB&B’s. Would any have a safe? I know where we stayed in Honolulu they didn’t have one at all and we were rather concerned and hid everything in weird places but still, who knows who else has the keys?

 

[Cossie]

Hi l-t-l, we were here skiing at the end of March - back now hiking - was hot to start with but now low-mid 20's during the day an 14C overnight.

On the heist front - owner entered the unit around 1pm with a tradesman (she sent an e-mail asking us if ok but we did not see it until later). When we returned around 2pm the break-in had taken place. Owner claimed she was with the tradesman the entire time - and from her re-action when attending the scene of the crime with the police I would say she was definitely not involved (she was so shocked she almost collapsed). 2 police officers, 2 detectives and 1 forensic technician attended the scene - taking fingerprints, photos, downloading security footage - so maybe the tradesman left a door to the terrace unlocked or was somehow involved (who knows) - but clearly a holiday apartment is not as secure as a (high end) hotel. The safe was fastened to a shelf in the cupboard so the thieves just smashed the shelf on either side of the safe - clearly not a totally secure installation.

Anyway - these things can happen anywhere but it made us realise how easily you can become complacent about security when travelling.

I'm a naturally suspicious person, but reading your posts I'm inclined to think it was an inside job. Here's hoping you get something from your travel insurance, not as if that will be any real compensation from what you have suffered.