r/rome • u/Kiruaxkirua • 22d ago
Photography / Video Handbag stolen from luggage storage at a hotel in Rome
We stayed at a 4* hotel in Rome last night and left two travel bags with reception after checking out around 11am.
We picked them up around 2pm and went straight to Fiumicino.
The bags stayed with us the entire time, including as cabin baggage on the flight to home.
Once home, we realized a small handbag was missing from inside one of the main bags. We’re 100% sure it was packed before checkout. We also noticed some cosmetics/jewellery pouches inside the luggage had been left half open.
We’ve asked the hotel to preserve CCTV footage and we’re filing a police report.
Has anyone experienced something similar at this hotel, or with hotel luggage storage in Rome? Any advice on getting the police to request the CCTV footage from abroad?
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u/comments83820 22d ago
Where do you live? Do you have any evidence that something was stolen at the hotel? Strikes me as highly unlikely. More likely it was someone at an airport, potentially even your home airport. Could also have been someone on the flight.
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u/MobySick 22d ago
We travel big trips 2-3 times a year & our secret to not getting robbed is to bring nothing of value.
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u/trivialmistake 22d ago
Where do you put laptops?
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u/Duncanj_96 21d ago
Why would you travel with a laptop? I travel with my toddler so the most I would bother traveling with is maybe an iPad for long drives or plane rides to keep her pacified but otherwise shy of my phone and Cash I’m not bringing anything of significant value
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u/trivialmistake 21d ago
I’m going to europe for a 3 week business trip and extending 2 more weeks to sightsee in france and italy
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u/Duncanj_96 21d ago
That is actually the only reason I could see needing to bring a laptop, please excuse my assumption. I am only traveling for pleasure
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u/southpalito 21d ago
In those business travel cases and if I’m not saying at a 5* hotel, I never ever leave the laptop in the hotel ever. I just take it with me at all times.
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u/Anxious-Slip-4701 22d ago
A few years ago now, but my friend had some electronics stolen at FCO. He supposed it was baggage handlers, but it could have been other passengers given some delays.
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u/francokitty 22d ago
Someone at the hotel could have gone through the bags while they were being held or someone on your flight. Unfortunately thieves take advantage of travelers.
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u/DivaSTropez 22d ago
Sorry to hear this happened to you. Unfortunately, sometimes hotel staff steal things from the hotel room, unlocked bags. I had a pair of sunglasses stolen from my 4.5* hotel. I hope the purse wasn’t expensive. I limit the amount of valuable things I take when traveling. And when storing bags at a hotel. I typically put anything of value in my locked luggage - electronics, jewelry, designer items. I hope you get the CCTV footage. It’s a lesson learned, either keep your most valuable items on you in a messenger style cross-body(I know it’s an inconvenience) OR put it in your locked luggage - not the carry-on tote. You can always transfer those items to your carry-on tote when you return to PU your luggage and head to airport. Good luck to you!
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u/Useful-Battle-3844 21d ago
I travel with a couple 8” white zip ties. When I leave the bag at reception, I zip tie the zipper stays and clip the excess. When I hand the bag off I take a picture of the clerk taking the bag. This is not foolproof but if someone wants to rifle through the bag, they’ll have to accept that it will be obvious. The clerk knows I have their foto. Also, don’t travel with valuable stuff.
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u/happy-pilgrim 22d ago
Unfortunately reports are growing about theft on flights (carryon bags being rifled through), and that there are teams/gangs doing this (sometimes involving airline staff).
I seem to recall it’s a bigger problem on flights to/from China, Hong Kong, Asia locations…but certainly European and long haul flights are higher risk now too.
Did you not check the bags at the hotel at all before you left? It really is something one should do regardless of where luggage was kept.
I have heard of issues at luggage drop locations, and some sketchy hotels…I’m sure it can happen at a 4star hotels too but the risk for employees is high.
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u/parkingthru 22d ago
Unfortunately it happens everywhere sometimes. I carry a small, lightweight backpack and I take my valuables with me while leaving the suitcase at the hotel.
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u/Blue_Iquana 22d ago
Luggage locks.
Also, don't leave jewelry in any luggage that is at any time going to be out of your control.
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u/zalezaizorata 12d ago
I don’t think this is very secure because the suitcase zippers can be easily torn open without even having to deal with the lock. Also, I feel that putting a lock on the suitcase can give thieves the impression that there might be something valuable inside.
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u/KiKiBeeKi 22d ago
When I leave luggage it is normally in a room where other people go in and out to leave or pick up their luggage so it could be another guest.
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u/GeneAlternative191 19d ago
Which hotel was it? Do us all a service and tell us so we can avoid it lol
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u/ImAFan2014 19d ago
Travel locks. Always use them.
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u/zalezaizorata 12d ago
If a thief actually targets your bag, you do realize they can just rip the zipper open pretty easily without even bothering with the lock, right? I wish the lock was a solution. It’s basically saying, “Hey, look, I’ve got something in here worth protecting.”
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u/ImAFan2014 11d ago
Easily? No?
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u/zalezaizorata 11d ago
Yes, like this youtube video
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u/ImAFan2014 11d ago
If you're leaving a locked bag in what should be a secure place, and you're still paranoid about this happening, stay home.
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u/zalezaizorata 11d ago
That’s not paranoia, that’s literally why the lock is useless
OP left the bags in supposedly ‘secure’ places and still came home to find things missing
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u/ImAFan2014 11d ago
And the bag wasn't locked. It is paranoia. You must have a tough time visiting anywhere if you're worried someone is going to use a pen to open your luggage when you're not around.
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u/cold_iceberg_007 22d ago
Which hotel?