Budapest safety warning
 

We stayed in Budapest in a rental apartment across from the central market. The building had a lock on the front door as well as a very strange and hard to operate lock on the door to our apartment. No chain or other security was available.

At 4:15 AM we awoke to a noise in the kitchen area and discovered a man in the apartment digging through our belongings. I screamed at him out of instinct and he ran out the door before I could catch him.

He had taken my camera and watch and some cash. The total loss was about $1700. When we contacted the owner of the apartment they said their insurance company and the police would do nothing because the door was not broken in to. Apparently my attempt to lock the crazy lock was unsuccessful. Also, who knows how he got into the locked building.

A five dollar rubber wedge style door stop would have prevented my $1700 loss. I won't travel without one again.

yeah, that stuff happens in most cities.

The response about the police "doing nothing" because a thief didn't break a door is incredible. What kind of laws are those, if someone pickpockets you, but doesn't break anything in the process, it's still a theft, for example.

Personally, I don't think a small rubber wedge is much of a protection against a burglar, but I also think yo should have your own insurance, not depend on someone else. I can't even imagine as an adult not having personal property insurance as part of other insurance packages (like homeowners or renters), don't you have any insurance of your own? Forget the cash, but it's possible your credit card might have some theft insurance coverage for items you bought on it, you can check. But I hope you didn't just believe the owner and not file any official report because I thikn you need one.

Sure, the police may not "do anything", they probably wouldn't where I live either, what could they possibly do, but you still need to file a theft report.

Sorry this happened. I (honestly) don't see how this is a 'Budapest' safety warning. It is a 'Be sure to lock your door' warning whether in Budapest or Los Angeles.

I agree w/ Christina that you should contact the police and not rely on the owner's statement re it not being a break in means no police action.

Your own insurance should cover at least some of your loss.

So sorry, glad he didn't attack you. I buy trip insurance that covers things like this but makes you think about safety. We had friends robbed in their hotel so doesn't matter if it is an apartment or hotel. Wonder if it was an inside job?

I just checked door jam wedges and there are some good travel ones with alarms. All sorts of gadgets. I think I am buying one for next trip.

> ..don't see how this is a 'Budapest' safety warning

Because the lock was so unusual you don't see such anywhere else, maybe ? I am curious of that unusual lock. I have been to 3 private apartments in Budapest so far, invited for a drink by friends, 2 city center and one in the suburb. All the 3 apartments had a grill door over a normal door. That made me think of a prison. Shudder. I have never seen such anywhere else for privatre apartments. Anyone? A friend leaves the grill door open always but he does have like 6 or 7 locks on the main door.... ) . He did mention burglary is ( or was, I don't remember) a problem in Budapest.

Let's clarify a few simple things.

1. If I were to rent a hotel room and could not figure out how to lock the door, I would call down to reception and have someone come up to show me how it works.

You chose to rent a private apartment and did not choose to call the owner and have him/her come and show you how to work the lock. Why not?

2. If I were to rent a hotel room and someone entered the room and stole things, would I accept it if the hotel told me there was no point calling the police and that their insurance would not cover my loss? Of course not. I would insist the police be called and I would insist the hotel put me in touch with their insurance provider to make a claim. You didn't do that, why not?

3. Many people travel with no travel insurance of any kind. Many people buy only travel medical coverage insurance. Some people buy both medical and other coverage such as trip cancellation, lose and theft. If you chose not to buy the latter then there would be even more reason to insist on contacting the police and the owner's insurance provider.

For those suggesting the OP's own insurance should provide some cover, the first assumption is of course that the OP bought any coverage for theft. The second assumption is that a claim could be made without having a police report of the incident. Most insurance policies will not accept a claim without a police report.

The message I get from your post wnappier is to not do what you did.

Not unusual that insurance doesn't pay if you don't lock your door. Insuch cases next Time break the door after the burglary it learn to use a lock.

I hear read very few traveler reports of attempts, successful or unsuccessful, of break-in burglary in the middle of the night in a tourist rental apartment in major European capitals. In fact, this is the first such report I've read.

Thanks for the helpful tip. Sorry you had such an unpleasant travel experience. Ignore the idiot reponses. Others appreciate your post.

Sorry for your loss and thanks for sharing this unpleasant experience. There is a lesson for all of us. Most apartments we've rented had a safe. Budapest is a great city but many taxi drivers are crooks.

Dogeared: Thank you for the sermon. I really needed for someone to Monday morning quarterback the issue and you really did it for me. Today in the cold clear light of day I could think of several things I did wrong and will change in the future. But thanks again for your superior attitude and insight.

Don't mind dogeared, he's overly endowed with <i> supercilium </i>.

And here I thought the State Department had issued some sort of special warning about Budapest!

That's a traumatic experience, and I sympathize. Just suggest you use greater care in choosing titles for posts.

I'm with you on the lock. I can totally see myself finally saying, "Oh, hell with it," after fumbling with it a few times, and knowing that the outside door to the building was locked.

Of course the bright side is that you got the incredibly valuable advice to "learn to use a lock." That alone is worth the price of admission.

LOL, excusing stupidity in others is simply an indication of stupidity in the person excusing it.

Some people need to learn to tell it like it is instead of trying to be 'nice' to everyone.

Harsh

Very scary to wake up to some stranger in your "home". So glad you weren't hurt. But definitively traumatic.

Sounds pretty scary to me, and I would certainly be among those who wouldn't have gone all OCD about an unusual lock. I would have just thought I'm here in a new place and in every new place there are different things going on that you have to get used to, or put up with.

I know many people here have disagreed me with on this issue, and that's fine, but I found Budapest to be a glum and creepy place in general. We stayed for 6 nights in a hotel just a block away from the central market, and though the hotel was fine, and the market was tremendously interesting, the neighborhood gave me hives after dark.

Anyway, glad you came through unscathed and thanks for reporting.

I'm sorry to hear this happened to you. I love Budapest and have been there twice for a total of 13 nights in two different apartments. I never felt unsafe day or night and spent plenty of time wandering around on foot and transit.

On a slightly side note, surely it's not necessary to purchase travel insurance to cover loss from theft--I thought one's homeowner's or renter's insurance covered that? Am I wrong?