'He used my card to buy McDonald's': Malaysian says burglar slit open luggage in Paris hotel room

A Malaysian couple holidaying in Paris returned to their hotel room and realised that someone had stolen their valuables. 

Disturbed by the ordeal, Allen Tee detailed the events in a Xiaohongshu post on Monday (Dec 4). 

"Stay away from Holiday Inn Paris Opera Grand Boulevard," he cautioned, and added that he'd picked the hotel as it was run by a reputable chain. 

On Dec 3, the couple left the hotel to explore the city. When they returned to their room that day, they found that all four suitcases had been slit open. 

"All of our valuables were stolen, and there was no sign of forced entry on our room door. Our cash, wallets, credit cards, computers, iPads, phone, and even my girlfriend's branded skirt were taken," lamented Tee. 

"He even used my card to buy McDonald's." 

In his post, Tee also complained about the hotel's lax security, and wondered how strangers could enter the guest rooms. 

Tee said he called the French police to report the theft, but was told he had to go to a police station.

"Their reactions made this seem like a common occurrence, and the police have become numb to this type of matter," he surmised.

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On the way to the police station, Tee bumped into a hotel guest who spoke Mandarin. The latter told Tee that he also spotted the thief inside his room.

The hotel guest also managed to get some photos of the thief before the latter ran off. The two photos showed a man carrying a blue backpack, which Tee claimed belonged to him. 

When they were at the police station, Tee said that police officers left them waiting, and only asked them some routine questions. 

"90 per cent of the time the hotel manager was speaking to the police officers in French, they even laughed. I don't know what they were thinking," wrote the dejected tourist. 

Despite the unpleasant experience, Tee said that he will continue his holiday in Paris. He has since bought new luggage and moved to another hotel. 

READ ALSO: Pickpocket swipes Singaporean's car key in Paris, guess where his car is?

claudiatan@asiaone.com