Stolen passports - help

[Lanby]

Hi,
We're in Cologne at the moment and some lowlife scumbag stole my missus bag containing wallet, credit cards, phone, ipad and most importantly all our passports

The German Police said we should be able to travel on the Incident report, but in usual UK government dept efficiency, the embassy, consulate, border control, PO ferries (not govt I know but just as bad!) all hide behind the official line of 'no passport no travel, you must get an emergency travel document' which will be a load of hassle (and 125 euros each) for a single journey.

I have my driving licence, and we have access to copies of 3 of the 4 passports (missing the babies), and copies all 4 birth certificates.

What is the chance of getting on the ferry and back in to the UK?

Any suggestions?

Cheers

[Lanby]

I forgot to add them to the unhelpful list!

They said 'we can send you a claim form, oh and if it's a business trip you have to prove it!'

Thanks for your help insurance company

Edited by Lanby on Monday 1st September 17:14

[Lanby]

HereBeMonsters said:

I've blagged my way back more than once, purely because I couldn't be bothered to go into the boot and get my passport out.

If it was just me I'd be more inclined to take that risk, but with my missus and 2 kids I'm getting earache.

I don't if it would make any difference but we are on the Rotterdam-Hull ferry rather than Dover-Calais

[Lanby]

numtumfutunch
I think I'll speak to the consulate myself and see what they say, and then take a gamble.

Vipers
I said that.. and got in trouble

[Lanby]

Update...

I couldn't be bothered to call the consulate as I knew I would be fed the official line we'd already heard numerous times...'No passport, No travel'.
So we decided to take the gamble and turned up at Rotterdam, explained the situation, showed them copies of most of the passports (thank you for the Cloud!), they spoke to immigration in the UK and everything was fine.
The nice immigration lady in Hull was even expecting us

[Lanby]

One of our German customers offered me a present of a cake with a file in it and some extra long bedsheets