Page 364 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

362  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Personal Security and Health if your problem is less serious,
it is better to contact a police
London is a large city which, like any other, has had its station or hospital directly.
share of urban problems. It has also been a terrorist target,
and London life is sometimes disrupted by security alerts. Lost and Stolen
Nearly all of these turn out to be false alarms, but they should Property
always be taken seriously. Never hesitate to approach one Although you should report
of London’s many police officers for assistance – they are thefts, or loss of any property,
trained to help the public with problems. to the police, be warned that it’s
unlikely that they will be able
As in any big city, the risk of to recover any of it for you.
being a victim of street crime However, they will give you a
can be further reduced by copy of your police statement,
following a few sensible which you will need to make an
precautions. Make sure insurance claim.
your possessions are If you lose anything on
adequately insured buses, Underground and
before you travel. Do DLR trains or in taxis (black
not carry all your cabs), it should event-
valuables around with ually reach the
you, but take only as Transport for London
much cash as you Lost Property Office
need, and leave the in Baker Street. You
Mounted police rest in a hotel safe or can also enquire
a locked suitcase. about lost items
Police Avoid poorly lit or online, through the
If you are robbed, or are the isolated places like TfL website (under
victim of any other kind of backstreets, parks and “Useful Contacts”). It will
crime, report it to the police unstaffed railway usually take a few days for
as soon as possible. Patrolling stations at night. To items to reach the office,
police officers are generally be extra careful, try so if you notice the loss
fairly easy to find in central to travel around in a the same day, try to
London, but if you cannot find group at night. enquire about it at the
one, call or go to the nearest In crowds, be station near est to where
police station – these are listed aware of anyone you lost it, or at the
on the Metropolitan Police standing especially Traffic police officer nearest police station.
website; alternatively, your hotel close. Keep bags Items lost on riverboats or
should be able to advise. Note zipped up; keep a hand in minicabs should be held by
that the City of London Police on your bag when walking the individual companies. For
is a separate force, with its own along; and never leave bags property lost on national rail
website. Police stations are also unattended in any public services, you will need to contact
shown on the Street Finder place – they may be stolen or the individual trainline operator.
maps towards the end of this considered a security threat.
book (pp382–419). When you sit at a table,
When you report a crime, especially outdoors, always Hospitals and
Pharmacies
police will take a statement keep your bag within reach
from you, and you will need to and in sight – preferably on All European Union nationals
list any lost or stolen items. your lap or on the table – and with a European Health Insurance
never leave it on the ground Card (EHIC), as well as citizens
or hang ing on the back of of some other countries with
What to be Aware of
a chair. special agree ments with the
It is unlikely that your stay in UK (Australia and New Zealand
London will be blighted by In an Emergency among them), can obtain
crime. Even in run-down parts free treatment from
of town, the risk of having your In a serious the British National
pocket picked or bag stolen emergency, you can Health Service (NHS).
is not particularly great. It is call 999 – or the Visitors from other
actually more likely to happen European emergency non-EU countries
in the middle of heaving number 112 – to should have full medical
shopping crowds in areas summon police, fire Pharmacy sign cover as part of their
like Oxford Street or Camden or ambulance services. travel insurance, and if
Lock, or perhaps on a packed Note that this is only for necessary make use of an NHS
Underground platform. genuine emergencies, so or private hospital (such as

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