A Canadian family is stranded in the United States after nearly all of their belongings, including their passports, were stolen out of their vehicle in Houston, Texas, on Christmas Eve.
Mingchu Shih and her family took a trip to the United States for a Christmas vacation and had planned to make stops in several cities, Shih told local Houston media outlet KHOU, according to a Dec. 26 report.
Shih said she and her family arrived in Dallas and then travelled to Houston. From there, they were planning to drive to San Antonio, Austin, and Big Bend National Park in Texas and then to New Mexico. The family had planned to fly back to Canada from New Mexico.
“It was supposed to be a happy holiday family trip,” Shih told KHOU.
The family dined at a dumpling restaurant in Houston, called Xiaolong Dumpling, on Dec. 24, and parked their car in a parking lot across the street after seeing a sign in the restaurant indicating the restaurant’s customers could park there.
However, when they returned to their car, they found the vehicle had been broken into and their belongings were missing.
“My daughter said, ‘Why is the wind coming in?’ and then we looked at the back,” Sinh told KHOU. “The windshield at the trunk is all smashed,” she added.
“I jumped out of the car and then looked inside—all of our things are gone.”
The family’s luggage, along with laptops, tablets, a cellphone, credit cards, and all four of their Canadian passports were stolen from the vehicle, Shih said, according to KHOU.
“It’s all gone—everything gone,” Shih said.
Shih told KHOU that she and her family filed a police report, but none of their stolen belongings have been recovered yet.
Canadian embassies and consulates in the United States are closed until Dec. 29 due to the holiday weekend, leaving the family unable to apply for emergency travel documents until then. Shih said her family is hoping they will be able to receive their emergency documents before their flight home scheduled for Jan. 2.
As a message to the thieves who stole her family’s belongings, Shih said, “At least give me the passports back. … You can take all the other things, but the passports are very, very important to us.”
Travel Recommendations
The federal government says theft, including passport theft, is common in many large cities abroad, especially in tourist areas, transportation hubs, and other public places.
“Theft, pickpocketing and the loss of important items can happen anywhere, especially in busy public places. Passports and money are common targets. Replacing these while outside Canada can be stressful and costly,” the Government of Canada says.
The government recommends making copies or taking photos of the identification page of passports and other travel documents before travelling, in case the documents are lost or stolen. However, the copies can’t be used as identification and a traveller still needs to apply for new passport if theirs is lost or stolen.
The federal government recommends storing copies securely and leaving them with a trusted person in Canada. Travellers can also record their passport number in a separate place from their passport, and plan how to carry passports securely if a country requires them to be carried at all times.
Passports, phones, and wallets should be kept in zippered pockets or inside pockets that are close to the body. Travellers should only carry what is needed for the day and store the rest of their belongings in a secure location, such as a hotel safe. Additionally, passports and travel documents should never be left unattended in bags or vehicles, the federal government says.
