South Pacific Travel, Vietnam tourism

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When it comes to violent crime, Hanoi, in general, is remarkably safe. Probably much safe than any big city in your home country. This goes double for foreigners. This is partly because crimes against foreigners are treated more severely by the government, which wants to encourage tourism. Petty crimes are also infrequent, but foreigners are sometimes the target. We've heard of cat burglaries, bag-snatching, and pickets being picked. Women out clubbing should leave their purse with the bar staff rather than at their table, and if you're heading out for a lost evening, leave the credit cards, camera, and iPod behind. Other than that, the overwheliming way foreigners are robbed is by being overcharged. If that starts getting under your skin, think about how much worse it could be. Just read some of the crime reports from Thailand or Cambodia.

One great thing about the cops in Vietnam is that they don't hassle tourists -- ever. There's a new policy by the government stating that if a police officer tries to extort a foreigner for money (the way they do in Laos all the time), once you report it, they will be fired immediately. This has created a relaxed climate for expats and travellers that is second-to-none in southeast Asia. Two notable exceptions, though: helmets are mandatory for drivers AND passengers everywhere in Hanoi, and radar speed traps are increasingly common on the main arteries. With fines of up to half a million dong, it's something to be avoided.

While they certainly don't spend their time hassling foreign tourists, the police can be a little slow off the blocks when it comes to petty crime. This can be frustrating, but it won't help to scream and stomp your feet and threaten to call your embassy. Be patient and polite at all times. All they are really going to do is fill out a report (and only if they like you) which you can use to claim the loss on your insurance.

This situation changes dramatically if the crime is serious, especially if you have concrete information about the perpetrator. Then, they snap into action.
The emergency telephone number for the police is 113