How thieves get into your locked suitcase

[bunchesofun]

Saw this and was surprised how easy it was to open locked suitcases.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2626254/Shocking-video-shows-easy-break-suitcase.html

[mizLORInj]

Hmm, don't like that very much! Good to know when I need to get new luggage.

[pudy68]

Very disturbing. It's scarier to think about what they might put in the bag than what they might steal. What if they hid drugs and then you got bagged...how would you prove your innocence? :eek:

[cb at sea]

No matter...we will continue to lock our stuff....I would imagine a thief would go for an unlocked bag before a locked one. And, I agree with pudy68...it's what someone might put IN your bag, rather than what they might take. We don't put anything in our checked bags (locked or not!) of any value, sentimental or monetary!

[OCruisers]

We never bother to lock ours.

LuLu

[Warm Breezes]

This is why we don't lock our nor do we put anything of value into it.

[bunchesofun]

I agree, we only ever put clothing in our bags. But the guy in the video said that the friend of his lost a suit bag out of his suitcase. I also agree about the fact that someone could put something IN your bag. I never thought about that aspect.

[mrsdoc3]

Why is it when my zippers get "unzipped", I can never zip them back up that easily?

 

Also, thanks to this guy for showing anyone who didn't already know how.

[Casco Bay Kid]

We never lock our suitcase. You may as well put a sign on your suitcase. SOMETHING GOOD INSIDE HERE!

 

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[reerun25]

Why is it when my zippers get "unzipped", I can never zip them back up that easily?

 

Ain't that the truth!! I never lock mine up anyway, and just pack clothes...

[Chrisp414]

Me too. Never bother with locks of any kind anymore, and still the TSA or whoever has gone through my bag(s) on more than one flight. Nothing we can do about it I guess. Nothing of value/interest in my luggage I don't think.

[LHARTWICK]

Why is it when my zippers get "unzipped", I can never zip them back up that easily?

 

Also, thanks to this guy for showing anyone who didn't already know how.

 

Ha! My thoughts exactly, Mrsdoc3! Anytime a zipper gets off track, I can almost never get it back on track again! And let's just show thieves how to access your stuff more quickly by posting a how-to video. Also, at most airports (not all), the TSA scanning is done "behind the scenes". Once you check your luggage, you won't see it again until you land (hopefully!). i.e., you aren't around when it's scanned by TSA. So if you use those huge locks that are shown at the end of the video and TSA wants to open it and you aren't there, won't they just cut the lock?

[sewut]

With baggage costs these days, his alternative luggage would probably weigh too much once you got it loaded.

[Miller_KC]

We lock ours but mostly to keep it from unzipping itself. Someone suggested putting on zip ties. Then you know if someone opened it because they can't put the zip tie back on. I'm not too worried about that so I'll just keep locking it and letting TSA put the TSA lock back on when they are done.

[herdhopeful07]

As a locksmith at a university we invest in the best quality locks for the protection of the students. However, a lock is only to keep a honest person honest. There are locks that are a headache but in the video he has a BEST padlock and those are very hard/expensive to get (at least in my experience). I lock my stuff up but at the end of the day I know that if someone truly wanted it they could get it.

[seeing this world]

that is why you will see a lot of suitcase from Europe that have shrink wrap of them. no need for locks. if the shrink wrap is gone then you they know someone has been in thier suit case.

 

On our luggage there is on place and only one place where our luggage will be able to lock the zipper to the main part of the luggage. The zipper can not be used until the lock is taken off. It is always securied at the one end. If they use a pen to open up they can not rezip it. We use a strange color zip tie instead of a lock to secure ours.

[Casco Bay Kid]

If someone wants my old underwear they can help themselves.

 

Sent from my HTC One mini using Forums mobile app

[evandbob]

If someone wants my old underwear they can help themselves.

 

Sent from my HTC One mini using Forums mobile app

 

Or a thief luggage handler can just unzipped the unlocked outside pockets, xacta blade the lining, and can reach in and grab whatever he/she thinks is valuable.

That happened to me on my last flight leaving JFK on Jet Blue to Punta Cana, and I hadn't realized it until I unpacked at my hotel and noticed the tear, which continued on the outside jacket of a few paperbacks I had stored in the inside pocket. Nothing was taken, all my valuables and meds were in my carry on shoulder bag, but I'll need to duct tape the lining before my next trip. Jet Blue did acknowledge the loss.

[NEMMRRC]

They can always steal the WHOLE suitcase if locked and do whatever it takes to get it open once removed from the system.

[Shak]

As with my house and car I always lock my luggage. There are two reasons I lock my luggage. One is to deter someone from looking in my luggage but also to deter someone from using my luggage as vehicle for drug smuggling. I does happen. I say deter because a determined criminal will find a way to break in but it is my belief that time is a criminal worst enemy and it takes more time to open my locked luggage than one that isn't. I do have a little different luggage lock. This lock makes it more difficult for someone to re-zip your luggage when entered with a pen. http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/catalog/triple-lockdown-luggage-lock.html

 

This web site is run by Detective Steve Coffey. Detective Coffey is a policeman that founded the Airport Crimes Investigation Detail in Los Angles. He is also a consultant for travel safety. You can read some of his tips at http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/safety-tips/

 

 

Shak

[wwcruisers]

Knock on wood -- but hard-sided Samsonite bags with TSA-approved locks have worked for us, so far. But, then again -- we try to never pack anything in our suitcases that we'd be heartbroken to lose. :cool:

[lady_cruiser]

Interesting.