Posted by
88888
15 yrs ago
PLS PLS PLS BE AWARE, Thieves rampent in Shenzhen due to job loses and Chinese New Year.. PLS PLS spread the word and be extra cautious if going shopping there.
I had the most horrid experience last week of my passport and money stolen from my bag upon getting money from the ATM in Shenzhen..... I had to send my overseas visitor back to HK whilst I dealt with this drama, not a lovely experience at all with nothing to my name except the clothes I was wearing.
I had to spend 1 day in Shenzhen with getting police report then to the Local foreign Bureau (which was upsetting and unhelpful) then had to travel to 2 hrs to Ghuanghau for 2 days to get an emergency passport and then a visa to come back to HK... apparently 5 Australians pick pocketed in 3 days... Imagine how many other nationalities were being targeted
I meet another Australian there whom had her whole handbag stolen whilst in a shop looking at a catalogue, she had to also go to Ghuaunghau whilst having the worry of a 6 mth child in Hk whom she was still breastfeeding.
The Visa office in Ghuanghau were fantastic, spoke great English and after informing me it would take 5 working days to get a visa they then allowed me a visa that day - mind you after many tears and pleading only was I allowed this, also the Aussie Consulate fast tracked my passport from 48hrs to 5 hrs.....
I would hate anyone else to go through this distressing situation so pls pls be careful, if you are white you are being watched... Carry your passport on your body - these guys are super slick and desperate !!!
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Nothing new to me
Guangzhou is the pick pocket capital of the world...
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2 weeks ago I personally witnessed from about 2 metres away a pickpocket sliding open the zip on a tote bag carried by a pedestrian who was using the pedestrian crossing outside the Shangrila hotel at Lo Wu Shenzen
He was unsucessful only because the victim sped up suddenly to avoid traffic-he had no idea he was about to get his bag rifled
The pickpocket saw i was watching but was totally unconcerned -gave a sort of sarcastic smile and resumed his station at the crossing waiting for the next victim i presume
They pickpockets are totally brazen and fearless
Keep your overshoulder bag in front of you not slung at the side
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88888
15 yrs ago
To Patopeaking..
Maybe if you read the story correct it occurred in Shenzhen - Lo Wu to be exact, I am trying to warn foreigners whom go shopping there that it is actually getting worse - as "quoted by the Australian Consulate"
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88888 very interesting post since it confirms what i independently found out that Lo wu is crawling with many more pickpockets than even usual
i am also interested that the Australian consulate in Guangzhou were able to get you an emergency passport in 5 hours
Thats great service by any standard
may i ask what papers etc did you need to get the replacement?ie police report just in case i also find myself in this predicament in future
actually Australian consulate in hk also very efficient and helpful re passport issues in my experience
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This is just beginning of things getting tough for the mainland before and after CNY. Why bother going to Shenzhen anyhow. Always carry your HKID, passport and cash in your front pockets and stay out of crowds. If a swarming begins drop the gloves baby!
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88888
15 yrs ago
The Consulate were fantastic, they even granted the breastfeeding mother mentioned in my !st post a passport in 1 1/2 hrs...
My advice is to get the police report in Shenzhen 1st which is a punish as they have to get an enterpreter then write the report which then goes upstairs to be typed out - so allow 2 hrs for that.. but at least you have that in hand..
Then they advised me to go to the Foreign Bureau whom then told me I needed to get a Certificate of Confirmation of Stolen Passport so wasted a whole afternoon with them.. so unfriendly and looked at me with hatred... "Go Guangzhou - go get Visa !!!"
So upon following Police advice i would not recommend that... Best is to get police report then get on the train and straight to GUANGZHOU and get to your Consulate/Embassy....
Expect to travel at least 1/2 hr between hotel/embassy/visa office as loads of traffic and busy city...
Best of all just try to go with the flow and the Visa office in Guangzhou was great, all spoke english but be prepared to be told you need 5 working days to process... you also must show the police report/hotel registration papers, I also had work fax me through a letter saying I was required urgently back in Hk for business meetings... But Def get out of Shenzhen, it was a disgusting horrid no hope vibe with the authorities....
I hope this never happens to you but if it does I hope what I have written could be of some comfort to make the process easier
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Thanks 88888 for the advise re consulate in GZ if ever i should need it
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88888
15 yrs ago
Thanks for reading my posts and I hope you do pass on the info to friends and family... ! week ago today seems like such a distant nightmare
Another point is that I went to the Shangri La hotel in Shenzhen which you can see from the entrance to the shopping centre in Lo Wu..... I rang the Australian Embassy in HK whom then spoke to the Conceriege whom then wrote down the address in Guangzhou for me in Chinese....
This assisted me as when I arrived from the train I went straight to a Taxi stand and showed the driver the address.....
Luckily my phone was not stolen but if it had of been I would still have gone to the Shangri La and asked for them to assist me with addresses as they cater to many westerners and were horrified when they heard my situation..
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Go to youtube and see thieves in China video, some are shocking as a few have been killed....theives operating in daylight and have no concern.....they've grown bold as the Chinese public don't care for one another....hence these guys just go wild in daylight!....I've seen them in action and they are strapped with knifes! So if you are planning on fighting them, please make sure you bring a gun to a knife fight! Also, these guys generally like targeting overseas Chinese people, especially those coming from HK and will try kidnap them. My friend got kidnapped two years ago!
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88888
15 yrs ago
thanks for your comments !!
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Thank you for sharing your story. What a nightmare. I will keep your experience in mind next time I go to Lo Wu.
I know without question that I have come close to being pickpocketed myself, but was lucky each time. On two separate occasions, men purposely ran into me and then sort of stayed up against me. I was the one who had to walk-push myself away from them, rather than it being a natural situation, where when someone runs into you they walk on. At any rate, it was very clear to me at the time that neither of these situations were an accident.
Although I tend to carry money in my bag, I always-ALWAYS carry my passport and HKID in a pouch underneath my blouse. Especially after reading your story, I realize more than ever that losing money is one thing, but losing one's travel documents are beyond what I'm prepared to deal with.
Lo Wu offers great shopping. There is no doubt, however, but that one must remain alert at all times. And with the economic downturn, I suspect this situation will become increasingly more prevalent.
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