Do you trust the safes in your hotel rooms?
Nov 7, 2017, 12:11 pm
#61
Join Date: Apr 2007
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Posts: 646
I live in Rio for half the year. While I have never been robbed, you are not doing yourself any favors if you get popped by a pivete on the street. They are not stupid slum dwellers.....and it's a big mistake to make that assumption.
If you look or act like a weathy gringo tourist and get singled out for robbery, you're not going anywhere until they go thru said wallet, and they will then walk you over to a bank machine and make you withdraw money, which your fake cards will not be able to do. People have been killed here for trying that trick. And the belt, they'll take that too. You'll be left with the shirt on your back and your pants, once they've been checked for hidden pockets of course.
Keep R$500 - R$1000 in your pocket, and a photocopy of your passport, and 1-2 credit cards if you need them. Give the mugger the wad of cash and they'll leave you alone. That's what I do.......in every city in the world I travel to, not just Rio.
If you look or act like a weathy gringo tourist and get singled out for robbery, you're not going anywhere until they go thru said wallet, and they will then walk you over to a bank machine and make you withdraw money, which your fake cards will not be able to do. People have been killed here for trying that trick. And the belt, they'll take that too. You'll be left with the shirt on your back and your pants, once they've been checked for hidden pockets of course.
Keep R$500 - R$1000 in your pocket, and a photocopy of your passport, and 1-2 credit cards if you need them. Give the mugger the wad of cash and they'll leave you alone. That's what I do.......in every city in the world I travel to, not just Rio.
But I also carry a drop wallet and an expired passport. Stuffed with a bunch of foreign currency, expired credit cards and IDs. The currency is maybe $20 US, but stacks up nice and thick. Actually, there's quite a few Venezuelan Bolivars in there, so it's probably only worth $5 now!
I've practiced and perfected pulling out the wallet and letting the cash scatter to the ground. 9 times out of 10, a thief wants to take and run, not inventory.
I also don't trust hotel safes, or any of the "usual" hiding places. (under the bed/pillow, behind the curtain or buried in the bottom of a suitcase.)
Bath tubs are my first pick, if there's a nice shower curtain.
I also leave a $10 or $20 bill sitting in plane sight.
Thieves steal. That's what they do.
If a thief takes the risk to get into your room, it's unlikely he is going to leave without taking something. So give him something to take. Win/win.
If I walk in and see the easy money is missing, I know right away to look closer.
Nov 7, 2017, 2:09 pm
#62
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,979
I had the same thing happen to me in the Dominican Republic. The staff stole a one-hundred dollar bill from my safe. I noticed this when I got to the airport on my way home. The scoundrel who did this was smart. He waited until my last day at the hotel to do this. Since then, I have NEVER trusted hotel safes again. I never put anything in there.
Nov 8, 2017, 12:38 am
#63
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Sydney Australia
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I am not a thief so I don't know. Would a thief go straight to the safe for goodies so all you are doing when you use the safe is having everything nice and ready for the taking. Should you hide things in your room instead? Or, as Airmotive said above, put a few bucks in the safe so the thief thinks he has all that is available?
Nov 8, 2017, 9:51 am
#64
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
I am not a thief so I don't know. Would a thief go straight to the safe for goodies so all you are doing when you use the safe is having everything nice and ready for the taking. Should you hide things in your room instead? Or, as Airmotive said above, put a few bucks in the safe so the thief thinks he has all that is available?
That's why the idea of leaving a 20 dollar bill in plain sight is effective, if you are hiding hundreds in the safe or elsewhere in the room. Once they feel they have scored, the odds are good they will not hang around looking for more. Especially in the case of amateurs like cleaning staff..perhaps not so much with pro burglars. But it's the amateurs that are more common.
If you were real paranoid, you could set up a cam on the safe. Nowadays you can get tiny cameras that look like phone chargers or USB sticks. They are motion activated too, and not terribly expensive. This would protect you in the event that you find the safe empty and the hotel won't do anything. If you have vid of the theft, the police are more likely to take it on and in a civil suit with the chain you have the proof. You also have it for insurance claims.
Last edited by Proudelitist; Nov 8, 2017 at 9:59 am
Nov 8, 2017, 1:39 pm
#65
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,979
In a lot of countries installing a hidden can won’t do any good. In most legislations the material from a hidden cam wouldn’t be admissible in court and in some countries it would be even violate the privacy of the burglar and put you in legal pain.... as crazy as that sounds...
Nov 8, 2017, 1:59 pm
#66
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Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 12
It depends on the hotel I guess, I suggest that you read reviews before you book. In my experience, I never had problems with losing my valuables. If you still feel doubtful in keeping your stuff inside the vault in your room, I suggest that you just leave it at the front desk.
Nov 8, 2017, 2:45 pm
#67
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,979
Front desk save safes are mostly safe in most countries. Usually the front desk agent has to sign in what ever they locked up and the hotel is liable for any damages (within reason, so don’t try to store a 5 pound diamond...).
Nov 10, 2017, 3:36 pm
#68
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 817
Yeah, I think we're saying the same thing: don't put high-value things in there. The main value of the safe is as a deterrent against the most simple housekeeping thefts. For most people in most places, that's the greater risk than a rogue higher-level hotel employee.
I've rarely traveled with high-value goods to begin with. Highest value is probably the data on my work computer, and that's very well secured against a basic street criminal who would mainly be interested in the (not that valuable) physical laptop.
I've rarely traveled with high-value goods to begin with. Highest value is probably the data on my work computer, and that's very well secured against a basic street criminal who would mainly be interested in the (not that valuable) physical laptop.
hidden in a drawer or something? (easy to find)
Nov 10, 2017, 6:51 pm
#69
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Hotel staff have the ability to open room safes easily so I don't trust those safes much more than I trust leaving things sitting atop the hotel room desk. BTW, I've left valuables such as laptops and DSLR cameras atop the hotel room desk while I've been out and haven't suffered a theft yet. Though usually I tuck them away inside a bag or drawer when I'm leaving them in the room. Most theft is a crime of opportunity, and I'm happy to take simple steps to reduce opportunity.
If I'm traveling with a car I'll take valuables out of the room and lock them in the car, out of sight. I consider that safer than a room safe.
If I'm traveling with a car I'll take valuables out of the room and lock them in the car, out of sight. I consider that safer than a room safe.