Honeymooners’ vacation turns into a nightmare

Two Chinese couples’ honeymoon on Saipan turned into a nightmarish experience when they lost their money, passports, and other items when their rented car was burglarized yesterday afternoon at Ladder Beach.

“We feel very bad. It’s like a nightmare. We will never forget this experience. I’m afraid we will not come here again,” Zhong Jingya, 27, a banker, told Saipan Tribune.

Jingya and her husband Zhao Yi, 29, a pilot with China Southern Airline, lost a new Chanel handbag worth $3,000, a Gucci wallet, $300 cash, two credit cards, two passports, and a digital camera.

Song Xiao Fang, 28, a businesswoman, and her husband Zhang You Cheng, 27, a salesman, lost a handbag, a wallet, a cell phone, two credit cards, $500 cash, two passports, and a digital camera.

Jingya said that they rented a 2009 Suzuki vehicle and went sightseeing at Mt. Tapochao before proceeding to Ladder Beach.

At Ladder Beach, the couples left their bags inside the car. After locking the doors, the group descended the stairs leading to the beach.

As they were going down the stairs, they noticed a white or gray Nissan SUV or Toyota Rav4 arrive at the parking lot but they did not see anyone go down the stairs.

After taking pictures at the beach for 20 minutes, the couples went back to their vehicle and were surprised to find the left rear window smashed in and their items stolen.

Jingya immediately called 911, their tour agency, and QQ Car Rental. A police officer came after 15 to 20 minutes.

Jingya and her best friend, Ms. Fang, got married early this year in Beijing. The two arranged to have their honeymoon with their husbands on Saipan, which they saw on the Internet. Jingya said they learned that Saipan has a nice environment, prices are affordable, and it’s just a short hop from Beijing.

The four arrived on Saipan Tuesday midnight and stayed at the Hyatt Regency Saipan. They are supposed to return to Beijing tomorrow, Sunday.

“We didn’t think that this would happen,” Jingya said, adding that they like the island because of its nice weather and beautiful ocean and beaches.

The couples appeal to anyone to help them get back their items, particularly their passports by turning them over to the Hyatt so they could go back home.

James Han, president of QQ Car Rental, expressed disappointment and frustration that these burglary incidents remain unabated.

“These tourists just came here to spend honeymoon. Then suddenly they become victims of burglars. These tourists will write their experience on the Internet,” Han said.

He said he has to help the honeymooners because now they don’t have money, credit cards, and passports.

Since the Chinese government has no consular office in the CNMI, Han said it’s very hard to get new passports. The Chinese government’s office covering the CNMI is based in Los Angeles, California.

Han said the tourists could use police reports to fly back to China, but obtaining police reports at the Department of Public Safety will also take time.

This is the fourth vehicle owned by QQ that was burglarized this year. Last year, six to seven QQ vehicles were also burglarized.

Han said police never solved or made any arrests in these burglaries.