Reporting Lost or Stolen Property
All thefts should be reported to the police as soon as possible. The thieves may not be found or the valuables recovered, but a police report may be required to submit an insurance claim or by your airline to issue a replacement ticket. The police report may also aid your travel within Greece without a valid travel document in the event your passport was stolen.
What to Do
- File a police report
- File the police report in person at the nearest police station; no one else can do this on your behalf.
- If you departed the area of the incident, you may email the airport police (daaa-tm.asfaleias@astynomia.gr) who will then forward your detailed description of the event it to the local police station. Another option is to contact the closest Greek consulate to your residence in the United States for assistance. Both of these paths are cumbersome and may or may not result in a formal police report. In person filing is best.
- Occasionally, items are recovered and sent to the U.S. Embassy. When the Embassy receives items of value, we attempt to notify the owner by email or phone. The U.S. government does not pay postage to return items; the owner would have to provide a pre-paid postage method.
- Cancel your credit/debit cards. Common numbers are listed below. If calling from a Greek phone, dial 00 in front of the number.
- Visa: http://usa.visa.com, 1-800-847-2911 or 1-303-967-1096
- Mastercard: mastercard.us, 1-800-627-8372 or 1-800-11-887-0303
- American Express: americanexpress.com, 1-800-528-4800, 1-336-393-1111
- Diner’s Club: dinersclubus.com, 1-800-234-6377 or 1-514-881-3735
- Report your passport lost/stolen online: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/after/lost-stolen.html. If your passport is subsequently found, do not travel on it; it has been cancelled and cannot be used.
- Visit the Embassy website for emergency passport instructions if needed: https://gr.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/replacing-lost-stolen-passports/ or email AthensAmericanPassports @state.gov. You will need to come to the Embassy in person. The Passport Unit is open to the public for emergency passports Monday-Friday 8:30 am – 11:30 am, except for U.S. or Greek holidays. After 11:30 am, your emergency passport may not be issued until the following business day.
- Contact your airline directly if you will miss your flight as a result of the theft to discuss your options. Replacement ticket policies are set by the individual carriers. The Embassy does not contact airlines on your behalf.
- Consult the Department of Motor Vehicles for your state to replace your driver’s license; contact AAA (aaa.com) or AATA (http://aataidp.com/) directly to replace your International Driver’s Permit.
- If your property was stolen in the Athens Metro (subway) system, you may check with the Athens Metro Lost and Found office (tel. +30-214-414-3630) to see if any of the property has been recovered. The Athens Metro Lost and Found office is located at the Syntagma metro station, open weekdays between 9:00am and 2:30pm.