Catriona Gray is living out every traveler's nightmare. It's an unfortunate conclusion to her recent trip to the United Kingdom and Scotland and we're hoping she and the rest of her loved ones are safe. Recently, robbers allegedly victimized the beauty queen and took all her luggage including her passport.
Catriona Gray Is "Traumatized" By Robbing Incident In London
Catriona Shares Photo Of Smashed Car Window On Instagram
On August 23, 2024, Catriona shared her European adventures on Instagram. She's been spending some quality time with her parents. "In the UK for a very special trip from my pap, we're road-tripping from London through Scotland and back," she wrote in her first post about the trip.
As the days went by, Catriona posted scenes from Edinburgh, York, and Aberdeenshire—where her father was born. It inspired us to make itineraries that explore beyond bustling cities and the usual tourist spots.
Sadly, on August 31, Catriona revealed that her picturesque time met a harrowing end. She took to Instagram Stories a photo of a smashed car window. "Robbed in the middle of London, whilst stopping for lunch on the way to the airport. Our passports and belongings—gone. Traumatized," Catriona shared.
As of writing, Catriona has yet to share details on how she is navigating the difficult situation. We're hoping it gets sorted out quickly.
What To Do When Your Passport Gets Stolen
In the extremely unlucky situation that you lose your passport while overseas, what should you do? You must immediately call the Philippine embassy or consulate located in the country where you are. There are around 60 Philippine diplomatic missions across the world, covering major territories. A quick Google search will help you depending on your exact location, so it's best to look up the contact information relevant to your trip before you leave. It's better to have it just in case rather than to scramble for it should something bad happen.
The PSAHelpline.ph advises you to take clear photos of your passport and store them in a secure cloud service or online backup account. The same goes for all your visas, any travel documents, and the documents you presented upon applying for a passport. On a personal note, I usually email these documents to the person I've listed as an emergency contact or to someone who I trust that I can contact as well.
According to the website of The Embassy of The Philippines in London, for a new passport, you must provide an Affidavit of Loss or Expiration, an original expired passport and copy of the passport data page, your PSA Birth Certificate or Marriage Certificate, and one identification document.
For stolen passport and belongings, you may also opt to contact the local police. Usually, they will also be able to help you with the affidavit of loss, aside from dealing with the crime on its own.
You need to then coordinate with your airline/travel agency to help rebook your flight. In these circumstances, you can lean on your travel insurance to cover costs and expedite certain matters. Safe travels!
