An immigrant from Thailand has lost his life savings after he put a bag with £70,000 in the luggage hold of a National Express coach.
The elderly man in his eighties had brought the cash with him in the hope of buying property in Britain, Hampshire police said.
But he lost his hold-all on the journey from Heathrow to Portsmouth.
By the time he reached Portsmouth on Tuesday evening all his £70, 000 worth of Australian dollars and Thai baht was gone.
PC Leigh Waller said to Portsmouth News: “We would like to hear from anyone who was on the coach".
"In case the bag has been stolen, we'd also like alert shopkeepers and bankers to the possibility that the thief may try to change a large quantity of Australian dollars or Thai baht in the near future.”