The Time Someone Broke Into my Airbnb In Marseilles, France

Traveling is one of life’s gambles that we take with a positive mindset. In most gambling scenarios, you know there is a chance things might go your way and an opportunity when it might not. However, when we travel, we rarely think of danger. Our brains only focus on the trills we are planning to have. We are constantly thinking about how it will feel to be on top of the Eifel Tower or going to the Vatican. We focus on accomplishing our travel activities, and we often feel invincible. Until something terrible happens, the fairytale we hope to live in becomes a nightmare. Here is the story of when my Airbnb was broken into in Marseilles, France. 

In a previous blog post, I discussed the benefits of traveling and gave you five reasons to Cy the world. As much as I love to share my positive experiences, I will not do you a favor if I do not share the negative experiences I have also encountered. Although the good experiences outweigh the bad, travelers have bad experiences that impact them significantly. One of the travel horror stories I learned about before traveling was the Amanda Knox story. I vividly remember shaking my head “no” when a professor asked me if I wanted to have a roommate abroad because of this story. It is still one of the reasons I do not like living with people I do not know until today. 

Some people do not travel because they fear danger. The fear of danger is a valid concern because being in a foreign country or environment augments the bad event and makes it more traumatic, especially when you do not know the rules of the land and this is your first time facing such a predicament. However, it is crucial to remember that danger can happen anywhere, even in your home country or state. As someone who has faced danger abroad, I can attest that overcoming the unfortunate event taught me some great life lessons and skills I used for my other trips abroad. However, before we discuss those skills, here is the time someone broke into my Airbnb in Marseilles, France. 

First, Marseilles is a beautiful city. It is the oldest French city and one of the major ports of the Mediterranean Sea. Marseilles is located on the West of the French Riviera, so it offers much to do and see. Known for its Vieux Port, Basilica Notre-Dame de la Garde, and clear blue water, Marseilles attracts many tourists. However, Marseilles is also known for having a lot of nefarious activities. As someone who studies politics and learned about the inequalities in France, I understand the reason for the peak in criminal activities in Marseilles. However, as a tourist going to a place that attracts many tourists, it is essential to tell this story to advise those who wish to go to certain areas to be cautious and know the culture that they are going in. Hence, it is crucial to research a specific place before traveling to it. Something I failed to do when I was 21 years old when I went to Marseilles, and what was supposed to be a fairytale trip ended up being a nightmare. Here is my story. Remember, being prepared and informed can make all the difference in your travel experience. 

The Nightmare of My Airbnb Burglary in Marseilles, France

It was May 20th, 2019. A friend and I decided to visit Marseilles after staying a few days in Nice and visited Monaco. This voyage was the second trip I took with a group of people in the year I lived in France. I usually travel alone because I learn about myself through solo trips. Also, I do not like operating on someone else’s schedule. However, looking back now, I am glad I went to Marseilles with someone. God forbid this had happened if I was alone; I’d completely lost it. The emotional toll of such an incident, especially in a foreign country, is unimaginable. 

We arrived in Marseilles at 11:45 am at Marsailles Saint-Charles, Marseilles’ train station. I remember that we arrived at the Airbnb apartment at noon. I was pleased with how modern the set-up looked when we entered. It was small but homey. I liked this Airbnb more than the one we had just left in Nice, France. After spending almost three hours on a Flixbus that morning and not eating anything, I was ready to use the small, beautiful kitchen to make an excellent breakfast. I would make an Avocado toast with bacon and have a nice cup of coffee. After the food settled and I took a nap, we would sit by Le View Port and enjoy the sight of the Mediterranean Sea. In the evening, we planned to go to a nice restaurant to enjoy authentic cuisine, a la Marseillaise. However, all those plans were abruptly shattered because, just 20 minutes after our arrival, someone unexpectedly broke into our Airbnb apartment. 

We were not in the apartment when the perpetrator committed his actions. Upon arriving at the apartment, my friend and I decided to buy groceries at the nearby Carrefour. I put my passport inside my backpack. I then put my bag inside my carry-on and locked it with a lock and key. I had my passport on me because I was supposed to fly to Nice from Rennes, where I lived. However, I failed to book a flight because of a miscommunication with the group. Therefore, I took the bus from Rennes to Nice instead(I will never do that again). 

I locked the door when we walked out of the apartment on the second floor. Being the oldest of the two and overly cautious, I checked the door three times. We saw an older gentleman outside on our way out of the building. He could have been in his early 50s. He was a bit chubby. He was wearing grey jeans and a grey sweater. Upon seeing him, there was no sign of threats. I think I nod at him as a sign to say “hello.” Little did I know that he would be the cause of my trauma. 

As mentioned earlier, we returned to the apartment at 12:20 p.m. We were at the store briefly because we only needed a few items. We only bought eggs, avocados, bread, bacon, pasta, pasta sauce, coke, and a bottle of water. The store was not busy, so it was a quick trip. Plus, the store was on the same street we rented our Airbnb. The second reason we got in at 12:20 was that the time stamp of the receipt was 12:17, and we took about 3 minutes to walk back to our temporary place.

When walking up the stairs, I gave my friend the key since she was in front of me, and I was a bit slow to walk up the stairs(eating too many French croissants will do that to you)! I was still on the staircase when my friend stopped before our door. She tilted her head as if wondering if she was missing something. She then turned around and asked, “Cy, you locked the door before we left, right?” My perfectionist mind perfectly remembered locking it and checking three times that it was closed. I answered, “Of course, I locked it!” She turned and looked at the door again and turned back to me. That is when I knew something terrible had happened. She said, “Cy, the door is open.” I told her, “Don’t play with me.” She moved closer to the door, turned to me, and said, “Cy, you locked your suitcase before we left ?” I answered, “Yes, I have the key with me.” She then said, “Cy, your suitcase is opened.” 

I am now at the top of the staircase facing her. However, I still need to turn to my right to look at the door. When I did, I found the door cracked open and my suitcase on the floor without a zipper. The burglar removed the zipper when he realized he couldn’t open the lock. We both dropped the grocery bag and went straight to my suitcase. At first, I thought, thank God I have my wallet and phone because those were the items of value I needed. I could buy another suitcase. That feeling of relief quickly evaporated when I realized my backpack was missing. Inside my backpack were my six-month-old laptop and my passport. That is when it hit me. Panic started settling in. What do we do? 

Lessons Learned from My Experience of Being Robbed While Traveling

When going through something, we inevitably do not consider the lessons a particular event gives us. Of course, when facing my broken suitcase, missing laptop and passport, and a cracked door, I was not thinking about the significant lessons this would teach me, but hindsight is always 20/20. Looking back at this at 26 years old, this event taught my 21-year-old self about self-agency, advocacy, determination, and reaching out to available resources to cancel my passport and return home on an emergency passport. 

The first action we took was calling the landlord, the police, and then Airbnb. If I remember correctly, my friend was the one calling these three entities while I was on the phone with my mother because, of the two of us, I was the one who lost the most valuable items. The landlord came within minutes and saw what was going on. He then got on the phone with Airbnb and later the police. With Airbnb, we needed to get a refund and find a place to stay in Marseilles. My mother told me to call the American embassy to see how they could help. I did not know the American Embassy could issue emergency passports then. I always thought embassies were there to welcome diplomats and evacuate people during a significant emergency. However, this event taught me I can get a birth certificate and an emergency passport from the embassies or consulate. Marseilles hosted the American Consulate 15 minutes from where we were. I needed to go to the American Consulate to get an emergency passport, but I needed a police report to confirm what had happened.  

Our interaction with the police was frustrating. As an American who had once dialed 911 by accident as a younger child and got six police cars at my house within minutes, I was disappointed by the police service in Marseilles. When my friend called, she was told we needed to wait for an inspector to verify that there was a burglary before going to the police station to make a report. After a couple of hours, I called, and they said they were dealing with other burglaries to be patient. Hearing this response made me feel like we had to live through this nightmare alone. We were curious to know if we were safe. We could not leave because 1.) we have no place to go and 2.) I didn’t have a proper suitcase to wander around the city. We sat there feeling hopeless because Airbnb did not confirm another accommodation, and I could not go to the embassy without a report to apply for my emergency passport. My and I could not separate because the door was cracked, and we did not feel it was in our best interest to separate when we did not have a safe place to go. 

The inspector came six hours later, allowing me to go to the police station around 6:15 PM. To my surprise, the police station was on the same street as our Airbnb, and it took about 4 minutes to get there. When we entered the police station, the guard at the reception told us we would have to wait another 3 hours before making a police report. Since my friend was left alone in the apartment, I had to return and stay with her for safety reasons. My three-hour waiting period meant I would see a police officer at 9:15 p.m. At around 9 p.m., I left the apartment and went to the police station with the Airbnb landlord. Another guard told us we would need to get another ticket because the other ticket we had was for another police officer, and he left. 

At that moment, I lost my patience. I decided to lie and said I was sitting outside waiting my turn. The guard then told me to wait while he went to talk with his supervisor. When he went, I prayed he would bring back a favorable answer. He then returned and told me I was next in line. The landlord and I waited for another hour and a couple of minutes. I would enter the office of a police officer at 10:40 P.M to make a police report for the burglary that happened at half past noon. Although frustrated, I was determined to have this document to ensure I received my emergency passport. 

Through the CCTV, the officer confirmed that the older man we saw was the perpetrator of the burglary. They said they would track him but did not think they’d be able to retrieve my items. They gave me a copy of the report I needed for the embassy to apply for my emergency passport. When I returned from the police station, my friend told me Airbnb helped book a hotel for the night on our behalf. Since I needed to get an emergency passport and follow up with the police, we needed to stay an extra day in Marseilles. Airbnb again agreed to cover the cost. The next day, I went to get an emergency passport and bought a new suitcase to put my items in. 

How I Overcame the Trauma of My Airbnb Break-In 

The 48 hours we spent in Marseilles were one nerve-wracking experience I had abroad. Going through such an event alone is a cause for immense stress and panic. Additionally, being on foreign soil adds another layer to the madness. However, such an event shouldn’t discourage you from exploring the world. Although our trip was stressful, after everything was in order, we enjoyed the little things we could for the last few hours in Marseille. We had lunch by the port of Marseilles. I visited Notre Dame de la Garde, which gave you a beautiful view of the city and the French Riviera. 

Looking back, I have not processed this event until recently after moving to Washington, DC. I was a 21-year-old woman alone in a foreign land, experiencing this act for the first time. It never sunk in until I was writing a summary of the events of my life during my 20s. I never gave myself time to process it because I had experienced a lot of unfortunate events in France. I had to constantly work past them because I was committed to completing a full academic year abroad. I couldn’t dwell on this event because I booked a trip to Paris the next day and made reservations to Tour Montparnasse and Chateau de Versailles, which I was looking forward to. Knowing that I had better experiences coming and my passport to return home helped me forget this hiccup. Although it did not deter me from traveling, it taught me to do excessive research and consider safety measures when embarking on a travel journey. 

Staying Safe While Traveling: Tips to Prevent Being Robbed

Nobody can foresee unfortunate events, especially when traveling, but there are a few things you can do to prevent getting robbed, especially in a city like Marseilles. Choose a hotel over an Airbnb. Although people enjoy staying at Airbnb because it gives them more space and a feeling of home when abroad, burglars target Airbnb spots because they know tourists are there and they are vulnerable. At a hotel, you have the peace of mind of having a concierge and security guard. Your room is not public knowledge, so the likelihood of someone breaking into your room is minimal, unlike with an Airbnb. Secondly, do not wear expensive clothes or jewelry. There are videos of robbers snatching necklaces and other jewelry. Therefore, when leaving your hotel, ensure you “look cheap.” Thirdly, I find this helpful before traveling. I try to learn the local language. Speaking the local language or being more familiar with local culture helps hide your foreignness and not make you a target. Be cautious of your environment at all times and keep your properties on you. 

Overall, my experience in Marseille taught me that things happen. As much fun as I love to travel and see different places, security has become one of my main concerns. However, because I know unfortunate situations can happen anywhere, I have not let this traumatic experience take away my love for traveling. It should not take yours as well. You must take extra precautions when visiting a foreign land, especially solo female travelers. I hope this story showed another perspective on what you can encounter abroad. I also hope my response inspires you to continue to travel despite the challenges you may face!

Until next time, safe travels!

Xoxo,

Cy