Notice to Barbadians travelling to Miami

Barbadians travelling to Miami for business or pleasure have been reminded of the importance of securing their travel documents.

Consul General in Miami, Neval Greenidge, pointed out today that in recent weeks there has been an unusually high number of thefts of passports, particularly from cars of persons shopping in the Hialeah area.

He has noted that in several instances the culprits appeared to have targeted rented cars, which are easily identifiable, after the occupants parked them to go shopping or conduct other business.

Greenidge, a former veteran policeman and long-standing detective, warned that leaving passports under the seats in locked cars was not enough to guarantee they would not be stolen.

The process of replacing passports after a theft can be costly, the Consul General warned, and when the inconvenience is added, it very often leads to a spoilt holiday or business trip.

“Please take the necessary precaution upfront to safeguard your travel documents to avoid all the problems that will result if they are stolen,” Greenidge said.

“And remember, the same should also apply to items you have bought. Don’t expose the items you have bought, especially if they are known to be expensive, in plain view in unattended vehicles.”