Beware at Zurich Airport: Organized Crime

Beware at Zurich Airport
Organized Crime

 
My family; including me has been robbed at Zurich airport rent a car parking lot last July 2012. Here is how it happened. Upon receiving the car keys from Europe Rent a Car Office, I headed, along with my family members, to search for the car in the parking lot that consisted of eight levels. We were two adults and three kids the youngest is eleven years old. Everyone was pulling a suitcase. Some of us had a handbag.

In the parking lot I have seen only two passengers or that what it seemed then, waiting for their cars.

When we found the car I put down my handbag at the rear side of the car and started loading the suitcases at the back of the car. During this time, one of the passengers whom we saw, a huge guy that looks like Russian or from Eastern Europe, was pushing a trolley and came in front of our car shouting: "check the car!"

I shook my head as a gesture indicating that I will, without leaving my place. But he insisted and raised his voice: "check the car!" while he pointed at the front of the car. I thought that the car had a problem. I headed towards the front of the car and the others followed me to discover that the car had no problems at all. We looked at him with surprise but he insisted: "when you rent the car check the car first before you load your suitcases!" I said: "thank you" I thought what a useful piece of information!!! I was really stunned with this curiosity.

I returned to the back of the car to load the rest of the suitcases. Once I have finished, I searched for my handbag, but I did not find it. I realized that he was a thief of a gang and we have been robbed. We looked everywhere and ran to all exits but to no avail. The huge fellow flew like a feather with no traces.

We lost our passports, €3000, a personal laptop, a Garmin navigator, valuable information in an external hard disk amongst other things. I am pretty sure that some gang partners watching us in the airport terminals and in the main rental office gave the parking lot thieves advanced information on our movements. That huge guy drew our attention because his partner must have been waiting to sneak behind us.

We went to the Airport Police who informed us that all the car parks had no surveillance cameras and we had to be debriefed about the details of the theft that covered the missing items and our identification details. The interrogation took about two hours during which I have called our embassy in Paris because I knew that Zurich did not have an embassy of Qatar. They directed me to our diplomatic office in Geneva. I informed Mr. Alhajri at the office and some of his staff who asked for the police report. They also informed us that we can continue our visit, but when it is time to leave Switzerland, we should call them to receive some documents that will allow us to travel back to Qatar. We also learned that other Qatari families had similar incidents even in Paris. I faxed the police report to Geneva.

 We decided to wait in Zurich for 24 hours then take a decision whether to go back home or change the visit plans. Upon an advice from a friend of SwissSafari, a tourist guide I recommend to anyone intends to go to Switzerland with no prior knowledge of the country, I checked-in at the Radisson Blue near the airport. I managed to register with my ID card.
After two hours from arrival, the airport police officer called to let us know that the handbag was found and it will be conveyed to the airport police office within two hours. After two hours, I rushed towards the police office to find my handbag intact, with all lost items available, apart from the cash. Thieves with merciful hearts! Thank you thieves! The electronics devices in the handbag might have scared them because they thought they might be tracked. That may explain why they got rid of the handbag so quickly.

I called the consulate in Geneva and apprised them that we found our passports, which were the main important issue.

This incident had many lessons to teach which I will list down hereunder:
1. Do not put all you valuable items in one bag. The thieves could not steel even one credit card or one ID card because I put them in a wallet that is in my zipped pocket.
2. Before you travel, check for information on the country you intend to visit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' site. The Ministry should regularly update their site
3. Do not leave your bags unattended at any time even when the place seems to be safe
4. Call your embassy immediately to inform them about the incident and ask for any help you may require or instructions they may give you. List the contacts of your embassy before you travel.
5. Beware of strangers and curious people, particularly in areas with fewer crowds. If you happen to be at such places, leave immediately!

6. Be calm during such times because the family and kids would be tense and you need a clear mind. Try to pacify them.

7. Remember that the police will help as much as their available resources allow, and do not expect they will act like their counterparts in the movies. In our case, they even did not care to take finger prints. What matters here is your utmost caution and vigilance.
8. I hope that our Ministry of Foreign Affairs opens an office in Zurich.
9. Passengers going to Zurich airport must be careful, and I will suggest that you rent a car at Munich airport as it cheaper and safer.

10. You should not forget to thank those who helped you during such mishap. I take the opportunity to thank our friend Mr. Alhajri and his staff in Geneva and Mr. Alsubai in Paris and Mr. Albinali in Qatar. I also extend many thanks to Ms. Carmen and her husband Mr. Charley of SwissSafari who helped us tremendously.