Hostel Burglary Leaves Foreign Visitors in Lurch

Several European tourists living in a hostel in Venice were left without cash, travelers’ checks, passports and other valuables on Friday when a burglar broke into the hostel’s safe.

A representative of the International Network Hostel, Ross Welford, said about a dozen guests--Dutch, English, German and Italian--had placed possessions in the hostel’s safe before the pre-dawn break-in.

One Englishwoman lost $800 in cash and travelers’ checks, her passport and driver’s license, an insurance policy and her airline ticket, Welford said.

Several of the guests sought new identification documents at their embassies.

No full accounting of the losses had yet been made, Welford said.

Welford said 50 to 60 guests are currently staying at the hostel, which is located at 2221 Lincoln Blvd. and is operated by a nonprofit organization that provides low-budget accommodations for travelers from abroad.