We’ve written in the past about theft in hotels and how to avoid same:
- Think your hotel safe is safe? It’s not
- The portable safe we use (because, again, hotel safes aren’t very safe)
- Your hotel room door can be easily hacked. Here’s what to do about it
- Why you shouldn’t keep your hotel balcony door open
- Thieves can easily get into locked zippered luggage. Here’s what to do instead
We’ve also written about how to avoid theft at the TSA screening checkpoint.
But there’s one more time you should be concerned about people taking stuff from your luggage – after you’ve checked it at the airport. Because you never know when an airline or airport worker may decide to see what you have in your bag and help themselves to it. Like this guy.
That guy’s crime is just a solitary one. However it just a quick Google search of LUGGAGE THEFT AIRPORT to see that it happens, well, probably more times than any of us would be comfortable with.
Twenty-plus years ago, you were allowed to lock your luggage. Then 9/11 happened and ever since then, airport workers have been able to access your luggage in the name of safety (be it seeing something suspicious, or a simple spot check). If you put a lock on your luggage, chances are good TSA will break it (especially if they have reason to inspect the contents.
Anyone who’s intent on stealing something wants to do it as quickly as possible. After all, the more time it takes to get into/go through your stuff, the higher the chances of their getting caught. So the best thing to do is to make it as difficult as possible for the would-be thief to take your valuables.
Keep it in your carry on
This one is probably an “oh duh, oh course!” But if you have something valuable, you may (more like “probably,” if not “should”) want to think twice about having it in your checked luggage. True, in the Vengeto case, he worked for Spirit Airlines, which charges for carry-on. But even then, if you can’t fit your valuable in your personal bag, it could be worth paying the $26 to $55 to ensure someone doesn’t steal that $300 camera from your checked bag.
Make it take longer to get into your bag
Multiple luggage straps or even wrapping the luggage (psst: besides more airports offering it, you can also buy the stuff on Amazon nowadays) would potentially slow down a would-be thief. Having your valuables buried in the middle of your suitcase, instead of laying on top, will also take more time for them to be found.
Camouflage your valuables
Someone intent on stealing stuff from your suitcase will be less apt to take something if they don’t see what it is. Jewelry? Put it in a balled-up sock. A small tablet may fit inside a box of sanitary napkins.
Use TSA approved locks
TSA locks luggage locks that can be opened not only by the owner of the suitcase, but also by TSA agents, because they have a master key.
However, I make the suggestion of using a TSA lock with 2 caveats:
- I’ve heard more than one person say their TSA locks have been broken anyway
- People can make and sell master keys with 3D printers
As is the case with almost any sort of illegal activity, if someone is intent on stealing stuff from luggage, they will. If you make it as difficult for them as possible, they may choose to steal from someone else’s instead of yours.
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