Janis Cloutier is begging thieves who stole her family's passports not to ruin their Christmas as well.

Crooks took three passports which she left in her handbag in a taxi last Tuesday evening and, unless she gets them back, she will miss a $9,000 Caribbean cruise over Christmas which she has already paid for.

"It is a potential disaster for Christmas because if we don't get them back, we won't be able to travel," she told The Royal Gazette.

"My husband keeps saying it will be alright, but I'm freaking out and not sleeping."

The bag also contained Mrs. Cloutier's cell phone, sunglasses and bank cards. The thieves have already taken $1,000 from her Bank of Bermuda Easylink card.

Mrs. Cloutier, a Canadian, left her handbag with her passport and that of her children Miles, 12, and Mirielle, eight, in a taxi when she came back from the airport to her house at Number one Steel Drive, Paget, on Tuesday night.

The taxi driver said nothing was left in his cab, but he did get a couple of fares afterwards, including one where he took a group from Hamilton to the Malabar night club in Dockyard.

Her cell phone was used in the early hours of Wednesday to call a cab from Dockyard, so she believes the later passengers have her bag.

Yesterday, she pleaded with them to hand back the three Canadian passports so her family can enjoy her Christmas vacation.

"Please just turn them into the Police Department or leave them at my front door," she said.