Tips to Combat Luggage Theft

We’re in the height of the busy, summer travel season. With that, comes luggage theft, which is a big problem for travelers around the world today. Taking steps, like the ones mentioned below, to prevent luggage theft can save you time, money, and aggravation while traveling.

Keep Your Bags Close

It’s hard to always have a hand and eye on your bags during long layovers and in the event of lengthy delays. If you must rest your eyes or keep them hawkishly on your children instead, protect your bags in one of the following ways:

• Loop the handle around your foot.
• Use the luggage as a pillow.
• Consider using it as a foot rest.
• Attach it to your arm, neck, shoulder, etc. via the strap.

While this won’t eliminate the possibility of luggage theft entirely, it does make it more difficult for someone to simply pretend they are picking up their luggage and walking off with it – increasing the likelihood that thieves will walk by, rather than risk detection trying to wrestle your luggage away and get caught.

Lock Your Luggage

The bottom line is that most thieves are thieves of opportunity looking for an easy score. Locks add a degree of difficulty or complication most thieves aren’t interested in bothering with.

Use Brightly Colored or Personalized Luggage

Most thieves are working to avoid detection. People who have luggage in standard colors like black, brown, and grey are more attractive targets than luggage that is bright pink and purple paisley or has an identifying name or set of initials embroidered on it in bright colors. Easily recognizable luggage is also easier to spot when picking up your luggage after your flight.

Use Cheap Luggage

Inexpensive luggage is less attractive to thieves than expensive luggage. In some instances, the luggage itself is the item of attraction rather than the items inside. Although expensive luggage can be a good indication that the items inside will also be valuable.

Don’t Get Complacent at Security

Pick up your bag immediately after it comes through the x-ray machine. In fact, you should watch it go in and come out in order to be sure that there was no time for thieves to get a hand on your bag.

Use a GPS Tracking Device in Your Luggage

While this doesn’t necessarily prevent luggage theft, a GPS tracking device can be incredibly useful in helping to recover luggage that has been stolen. The more people who begin to adopt this useful tool to catch luggage thieves, the more likely it is to act as a deterrent.

Claim Luggage Quickly after Your Flight

The faster you claim your luggage after landing the less likely someone else will be to claim it for you. Seriously, skip the bathroom break until after you have all your luggage in hand.

Small steps like this go a long way to reducing your risks of becoming a luggage theft victim. Put them into practice the next time you travel to keep your luggage safe and secure.

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