Careful: Locked Suitcases Are NOT SECURE!

[Leo Jay]

Sorry if this is old news but...

 

I was just fowarded a video via email that shows how ridiculously simple it is for any idiot to open up a locked suitcase in about 2 seconds flat. You basically just use the tip of a ballpoint pen to poke between the teeth of the zipper and pry them apart. What's more, it doesn't damage the zipper, so you just zip back over it, and there's no evidence of tampering whatsoever. I just tried it, and it's positively depressing how easy it is. Put NOTHING of any value in your check-in luggage.

 

Again, this may be old news, because it's so simple I can't believe I'd never heard of it before. But somehow I'd never heard of it before.

[VentureMan_2000]

I'm sure all the people who are "Pro TSA Locks" will be disappointed... they have always felt way more secure with those than the zip ties that people use, that cost about a penny each... :D

 

 

Maybe you can post the link to the video...

[cruise_pirate]

Guess I better not pack the family jewels in my luggage:p

[sixy-six]

Here the video.

 

[mics pics]

Just FYI, you don't even need the ball point pen many times. I've had bags open along the zippers just when I'm grabbing them. If my fingers are along the seam of the zipper, they poke right through.

And yep, I just rezip over again to close the bag.

You shouldn't check anything valuable in your bag anyway, even if the world was honest. Stuff gets lost or broken open all the time.

[gkrnjlr]

Nice.....so they're teaching you for the purpose of "IF YOU FORGET" your key or misplace, etc.

 

Somehow I think the video was not meant for those purposes!

 

Lovely!

[ray98]

I thought everyone knew that. I am always amazed when people talk about "locking" soft sided luggage.

[G'ma]

I've never locked my suitcase anywhere - and before retiring, I spent at least 180 days in the air or on the road....or asea.

 

Anyone who really wants to get into your suitcase will do it. My theory is; I'd rather they use the zipper than use a box cutter or ruin the zippers by using force. I never, ever put anything in my suitcase that I would miss if I never saw it again. If they want to rifle through a bunch of clothes and a coupla pair of well-used shoes, have at it.

 

On the other hand, I've never had anything taken from my suitcase, never had one vandalized. From my experience, it appears that large, heavy suitcases locked up like Fort Knox are thief magnets......

[trock]

I wonder if this would happen would higher quality luggage? Just curious....

[gkrnjlr]

I could've figured how to get IN the suitcase that way but didn't realize it would still zip shut afterwards!

[jayscore]

Boy, do I miss my old Samsonite luggage with the hasps! Dam near bullet-proof, but heavy!

[VentureMan_2000]

I thought everyone knew that. I am always amazed when people talk about "locking" soft sided luggage.

 

 

 

I use zip-ties... mainly to keep the zipper tabs tied together so that the bags do not accidentally come unzipped during transportation.

 

Zip-ties also keeps a honest person honest... but I have always contended that neither zip-ties nor TSA locks will keep a theif out of your luggage... heck, a razor blade will do just nicely, since 98% of the luggage used is soft-sided.

[ehfl]

Why is anyone keeping valuables in a suitcase, instead of with their carry-on? Use common sense.

[gkrnjlr]

I actually don't keep my valuables in my suitcase.....but I also don't want them anyone to rifle through my crap!

 

I have had my suitcase searched by the TSA before. When I got home from my last cruise I opened it and found a note from the TSA that it had been searched.

 

I had a bottle of maple syrup that I purchased while on cruise in Canada and I'm *guessing* maybe that the odd shape flagged my suitcase and they searched it? Or maybe it was just a random search.

[Leo Jay]

I wonder if this would happen would higher quality luggage? Just curious....

 

Are you suggesting, sir, that my luggage is cheap?

:p

[Leo Jay]

Why is anyone keeping valuables in a suitcase, instead of with their carry-on? Use common sense.

 

Yes, okay, we're not talking about passports and diamond rings here. The point was to just be particularly careful since it's so easy for anyone to do, not just a committed thief. Take it or leave it. Jeez.

[VentureMan_2000]

Now I'm beginning to wonder how protective my chastity belt is... :eek:

[nolaAlive]

There are other vendors, as well.

 

http://www.safeskieslocks.com/store/luggage-straps-c-13.html

 

I might be more concerned about the zippers on overstuffed luggage breaking on their own.

[Safetyal]

Guess I better not pack the family jewels in my luggage:p

 

 

I will have to tell my wife not to pack the family jewels in the checked luggage as well.

 

I had to turn them over to her when we got married!!!. :p:D

[BND]

Everytime someone talks about the lack of security for luggage, I tell them the same thing. I do not lock my luggage to secure valuables. I lock it to prevent the zipper from being caught and ripping open and having my undies stewn about. I carry all valuables and it's always amazed me that people think a small lock can stop someone who really wants to get into your bag. In our luggage you will find, clothes, toiletries, and a few odds and ends such as power strip, small flashlight. Nothing that would be of value to anyone else. You will never, ever find a laptop, camera, jewelry, cash, cc's, passports, other id, etc in our luggage. It goes through too many hands and is out of our sight too much. It's called common sense.

 

As for the old hardsided luggage with hasps. Those were easy to get into too. All it took was a hairpin to pop that lock open.

[dmdiver]

we've never locked any of our luggage on airplanes or cruises. if anyone really wants in there, all they have to do is pull the zipper like the video shows or cut the fabric of the suitcase. it's almost as if the lock indicates to someone that there is something of value in there. of course, i don't put anything valuable in my luggage. i always carry on meds, jewelry (if i even take it), etc.

[Leo Jay]

There was a reason I wrote "things of any value", as opposed to 'valuables'. I was kind of assuming no one put expensive jewelry, passports and the like in their luggage.

:rolleyes:

 

But I for one wouldn't have thought twice about putting a couple of used disposable cameras, my external speakers, etc. in my luggage. You know there's some chance a thief could get in there, but it's a relatively small risk you're willing to take. Realizing, though, that not just a serious thief, but any wayward 8 year old might be able to fool around with your luggage just for kicks while it sits outside your cabin raises the risk a little bit, and might make some people think twice. Might.

 

So maybe I was too alarmist about it. But again, it was merely intended as a helpful alert. Take it or leave it.

[emmysmommy]

Thanks for sharing this information. I know that anyone who really wants to get into my bags will but I didn't know how easy this was to do. If someone opened my bags they wouldn't find anything too exciting and certainly nothing of value!

[BND]

There was a reason I wrote "things of any value", as opposed to 'valuables'. I was kind of assuming no one put expensive jewelry, passports and the like in their luggage.

:rolleyes:

 

 

Oh, but they do. My DH sat next to someone on a flight from CA this week who told him he packs his laptop in his checked luggage. Pay attention to the news because every once in a while you will hear of someone having thousands of dollars of jewelry taken out of their checked luggage. It's amazing, but it does happen.:D

[dan40]

I wonder if this would happen would higher quality luggage? Just curious....

 

You think the high qual...er..priced, CLOTH luggage is safer??

A bank vault isn't safe from a determined thief. A TSA lock will discourage a casual thief.

Luck is probably as good as locks on luggage.

 

Dan