Brand brand New Zealander searching for love in Ukraine drugged, robbed of $18,000
A Kiwi claims he had been robbed and drugged in Ukraine – but a brand new Zealand trade envoy stumbled on their rescue, buying back once again their passports.
Marko Westerink, 48, was at the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, shopping for a gf because he claims: “Russian women can be quite gorgeous. I’m not sure if Kiwi girls are a bit of good. “
But rather of finding love, he destroyed their bumbag containing cash, charge cards and both their New Zealand and Dutch passports, after getting out of bed in a metro place in a “zombie-like” state.
He thinks their orange juice ended up being spiked, even though he had been incapacitated, thieves withdrew $18,000 from his banking account.
After neighborhood authorities did not assist, Westerink states he had been stranded, penniless and resting in a park, until brand New Zealand’s honorary consul Mark Wright stumbled on their rescue.
Honorary consul aren’t expert diplomats, and frequently combine commercial activities to their role. The nearest Kiwi embassy to Ukraine is in Poland.
2 days after he had been robbed, Westerink received a contact, in Cyrillic script, with a photograph of their passports, it absolutely was entitled: “Passport Found”. It continued to express “Hello, we discovered your passport. We could organize a meeting. ” He thinks they got their contact information from company cards he’d been holding.
“Mark Wright said he had been to manage the situation, and I also left it inside the arms. He organised the return regarding the passport because of the ‘finder’ who desired re re payment inturn.
” In the period of picking right on up the passports, Mark Wright’s associate stated that the ‘finder’ had provided him a lot more of my taken products but he would not have more cash to fund them. It are priced at 1000 hryvnia that is ukrainian $55) to obtain the passports right straight back. Without him I would nevertheless be in Ukraine without any cash. “
?Westerink’s inquisitive story began at 9.30pm on 2nd, outside the city’s Dream Palace Hostel september. He had been approached by a guy – whom advertised to become A french restaurateur – seeking guidelines to your city.
Westerink made a decision to walk with him to exhibit him just how. Along the way, he states they helped place a car engine fire out, and also the mystical guy convinced him to fairly share a dinner of borscht.
The man is believed by him spiked their juice while Westerink ended up being distracted searching the world-wide-web on their phone. “we was simply here looking girls on my phone, I became offshore enthusiastic about girls, maybe maybe not males, thus I was not having to pay notice that is much him.
“we noticed the orange ended up being a bit sweeter than usual. We left the restaurant and that is the thing that is last keep in mind. “
The North Canterbury guy arrived too in a metro place, along with his possessions lacking. In the wallet had been a complete complete stranger’s charge card.
“I became experiencing really dazed and disorientated, ” he stated. “I happened to be walking such as a zombie. From the almost nothing. “
He had no way to pay for another while he was gone, the hostel rented out his room and. “we slept when you look at the park for a few nights, ” he stated. “we got a mate to deliver me personally cash charmdate, but without having a passport i really couldn’t have it out from the Western Union. “
Police kept him looking forward to three hours at a section, then delivered him to your Australian embassy, whom directed him to Wright.
He had been additionally desperately looking to get your hands on BNZ to cancel their cards that are missing. On their go back to New Zealand, he discovered $16,500 of paying for their cards – all in the evening following the robbery. Simply over $9, 000 had been invested in Kiev supermarkets and $2156 withdrawn from ATMs.
BNZ have told him they will not reimburse the amount of money.
“I am able to verify BNZ is dealing with Mr Westerink, and there is an investigation that is ongoing the bank card transactions in Kiev, ” a spokeswoman stated.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs don’t respond to questions on how Mr Wright obtained the passport.
In a written declaration, a spokesman stated: “the newest Zealand Embassy in Warsaw, which will be accredited into the Ukraine, supplied consular help Mr Westerink.
“This included advice and some help from the Honorary Consul into the Ukraine. For privacy reasons, we’re not able to offer detailed information about Mr Westerink’s instance or even the help supplied. In general, the supply of consular help includes informing individuals of the choices available so they will make their own choices on next actions. “
MFAT’s travel advice when it comes to town states fraudulence is typical in Ukraine and suggest brand brand brand New Zealanders take additional care whenever credit that is using and ATMs.
Wright don’t react to an ask for remark.
Neither did the person who stated he had found Westerink’s passports.
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