ARLINGTON, Va. — A family from Arlington, Virginia, is finally back home after a dream trip to Italy turned into what they called a nightmare. The Trujillo family said they took a trip abroad to celebrate their mom's and sister's birthdays. The family was headed to their hotel in Florence when they stopped at the Leaning Tower of Pisa for a family photo. That's when they said someone robbed them.
"Within 30 to 35 minutes, by the time we got back, we saw that they broke the window, the back window and then they stole everything," Stephanie Trujillo said. "All the luggage, my sister's gown was in there. We were pretty much left with whatever we had on us, which was our phone and my stepdad's credit card."
Police in Pisa confirm that the family reported the crime. Unfortunately, the family never found out who broke into their car and stole close to $21,000 in cash and property.
The Trujillos said they also had to jump through hoops to get home with emergency passports. Now they want to warn others planning an international trip.
"We know not to leave anything in the car in general. We don't even leave stuff here in America in my car. But, it's an area where there is so much foot traffic. It's a touristy part. My advice is do not leave anything in your car," Trujillo said.
Trujillo said since sharing the family's ordeal online, they have heard about other families who were robbed while traveling internationally.
The FBI offers some tips to help travelers feel more secure while traveling abroad:
- Establish points of contact for your family to contact in the event of an emergency.
- Avoid traveling alone, especially after dark. Be conscious of your surroundings and avoid areas you believe may put your personal safety at risk.
- Use only authorized taxis/shuttles. Passengers have been robbed or kidnapped when using taxis.
- Evade criminals by being aware of your surroundings and alert to the possibility of surveillance. Take mental notes of anyone following you and promptly report it to the appropriate security officials.
- Beware of new acquaintances who probe for information about you or who attempt to get you involved in what could become a compromising situation.