Venice Tourist ‘Kidnaps’ Currency Exchange Worker After Becoming Enraged Over Poor Rate – Travel+Leisure

A tourist in Venice faces kidnapping charges after holding a currency exchange worker hostage over rates he considered unfair.

The 46-year-old Israeli man was unhappy with how many euros he received in exchange for $100, according to The Guardian. He tried to cancel the transaction and was unable to. He then closed the shutters and prevented the woman who was working the currency exchange from leaving her booth.

She was held hostage for about a half-hour before she was able to call the police who arrested the man.

Peak tourism season may be dying down but that doesn’t mean that visitors are better behaved. Over the past few months in Venice, police have had to deal with tourists skinny dipping in the canal, headbutting gondoliers and brewing their own coffee by the busiest attractions.

Travelers to Venice are now required to pay an entrance fee to the city — part of which goes towards police presence, which is necessary just to deal with all the out-of-towners.

In order to ensure you’re getting the best rate on your foreign currency, the best bet is to use your bank’s debit card at an ATM at your destination. For more information on currency exchange, check out Travel + Leisure’s guide to getting the most euro (or any other tender) for your buck.