Originally Posted by
Expatrick
Not quite the same (or as good) but not completely dissimilar - mugged in Paris in the early '80s, losses included passports. Off to the UK Consulate, reported loss.
Filled in a very short form (half of A4) to report loss of passport. "OK, how do I get through control at the airport?". "Easy" says the Vice Consul, reaching for all the rubber stamps on his desk. "The French love rubber stamps!". He was right, sailed through both ends.
Also, Vice Consul phoned our UK bank & explained our predicament - no problem, sone funds transferred immediately.
I don't know why he did that, a Consul has the authority to issue an Emergency Passport valid for one trip, which you can exchange for a full passport when you get home. He or she doesn't have the authority to disburse funds which leaves a mugged DBS (Distressed British Subject) able to travel but without the funds to take a tube fare out of the aeroport. In these days of credit cards it's less of a problem, but in the days of cash and traveller's cheques the Consul would have to issue a tenner out of his own money against an IOU, and these were often not honoured. (My father was a British Consul).