A 42-year-old Singaporean traveller lost around S$1,000 worth of valuables during a trip to Europe after his anti-theft backpack was allegedly stolen aboard a train travelling between Germany and Belgium.
The incident has sparked renewed discussions about travel safety, theft prevention, and the risks tourists continue to face while travelling across major European transport networks.
According to reports, the man, identified as Chen Yuneng, had departed Singapore on Apr. 19 for a multi-country trip that included stops in New York, Frankfurt and Brussels.
Despite taking extra precautions before the trip, his belongings were allegedly stolen just six days into his holiday, reported Shin Min Daily News.
Backpack Vanished During Train Journey To Brussels
Chen reportedly told local Chinese-language media that the theft occurred while he was travelling by train from Frankfurt to Brussels-South station.
About 10 minutes before the train arrived, he realised the backpack he had stored on the overhead luggage rack was missing.
The stolen bag allegedly contained around S$500 in cash, multiple bank cards, his Singapore identity card, medication, a jacket and wireless earphones.
Although he quickly contacted his banks to freeze the cards after noticing the theft, fraudulent transactions had already been processed, resulting in an additional financial loss of around S$315.
Combined with the missing valuables, the total losses were estimated to be close to S$1,000.
Fortunately, Chen still had possession of his passport, mobile phone and laptop, allowing him to continue making payments through digital wallets such as Apple Pay during the remainder of the trip.
Traveller Says He Took Safety Precautions Before Trip
Chen reportedly said he had researched the risks of pickpocketing and theft in Europe before travelling and even purchased an anti-theft backpack costing over S$50 to reduce the chances of becoming a victim.
Throughout the journey, he claimed he remained alert by avoiding headphones and paying attention to suspicious individuals nearby.
However, he believes he may have fallen victim to a distraction tactic commonly used by organised theft groups operating on public transport.
An elderly passenger seated beside him later allegedly told him that someone had approached the area to engage in conversation and even handed over a book before leaving the train carriage carrying a backpack.
Chen suspects this interaction may have been intentionally staged to divert attention away from the theft.
After disembarking, he also reportedly heard an announcement warning passengers about active pickpockets operating onboard the train.
Travel Experts Urge Tourists To Stay Alert Overseas
The incident has once again highlighted concerns over tourist theft cases in Europe and other popular travel destinations.
The Society of Tourist Guides Singapore advised travellers to avoid displaying luxury goods, split up important documents and cash, and keep bags physically attached to themselves whenever possible.
Travel experts also recommended securing phones with anti-theft straps, checking accommodation safety reviews carefully, and avoiding leaving belongings unattended inside vehicles.
Traveller Says He Took Safety Precautions Before Trip
Chen reportedly said he had researched the risks of pickpocketing and theft in Europe before travelling and even purchased an anti-theft backpack costing over S$50 to reduce the chances of becoming a victim.
Throughout the journey, he claimed he remained alert by avoiding headphones and paying attention to suspicious individuals nearby.
However, he believes he may have fallen victim to a distraction tactic commonly used by organised theft groups operating on public transport.
An elderly passenger seated beside him later allegedly told him that someone had approached the area to engage in conversation and even handed over a book before leaving the train carriage carrying a backpack.
Chen suspects this interaction may have been intentionally staged to divert attention away from the theft.
After disembarking, he also reportedly heard an announcement warning passengers about active pickpockets operating onboard the train.
Travel Experts Urge Tourists To Stay Alert Overseas
The incident has once again highlighted concerns over tourist theft cases in Europe and other popular travel destinations.
The Society of Tourist Guides Singapore advised travellers to avoid displaying luxury goods, split up important documents and cash, and keep bags physically attached to themselves whenever possible.
Travel experts also recommended securing phones with anti-theft straps, checking accommodation safety reviews carefully, and avoiding leaving belongings unattended inside vehicles.
Image Source: Shin Min Daily News