Luggage tampering

[rhythmworx]

I like the wrapping, can see instantly if its been tampered and is in my opinion an excellent cheap deterrent.

Yeah you can see it but try walking out of customs without a suitcase.

[PaPiPuPePo]

I use orange and green cable ties, run them through the lock holes in the zipper pulls and then around the handle. The zip pulls won't move very far at all. So, if a bad guy wants to open the zip, he won't be able to close it. Some customs/freight handlers carry black and white cable ties because that's what's usually on offer in the stores, and I've seen other bags using those. Electrical supply houses carry the coloured ones. With that inexpensive setup, if someone has opened your zip, you can report it to airport management right away (after taking photos).

I like this, and add the shrink-wrapping. Photograph the bag before you check in (if that's not what you meant).

I've been using rolling duffels for years, this has me rethinking that.

2-3 years ago I came out at Swampy, stopped over at a seating section as I often do to change my shoes out for sandals and grab some cooler clothing to change into in a bathroom, and when I opened my check-in bag there was an unopened pack of cigarettes, which I did not put in there (I don't smoke), sitting in my luggage. That kind of freaked me out, though nothing was missing. I figured it had been searched through on the way out and the pack fell out of a shirt pocket, but they're supposed to do that in your presence. Personal rights and privacy are so 20th-century. It did make it clear how useless locks on luggage are.

[marcusd]

I had this terrible experience in India 17 years ago so from that date forward I have ONLY bought and used CLAM SHELL cases with NO ZIPPS at all. EVERY zipper can be accessed a friernd of mione in Customs in Australia told me. He said CLAM shell cases were the most secure but CUSTOMS can open them too.

But at least others need more time - than the time need to open zipper cases so I feel safer.

[Jay Sata]

All the more reason to get your luggage wrapped.

No one is going to tamper with a wrapped bag.

[WhamBam]

All the more reason to get your luggage wrapped.

No one is going to tamper with a wrapped bag.

Then you have not seen the video on Utube showing them tampering with the wrapped bags and how relatively easy it is?

They peel back some layers, cut through the rest, undo the zip, zip it back up and re-wrap the case.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Stuff gets stolen all the time, good tip with green zip ties.

[Thongkorn]

those safes they have in your rooms i can open in less than two seconds, its common knowledge.

[thaibeachlovers]

HaHa, I saw those french cuffs and thought the same.

I worry most about criminals putting contraband in my luggage. You can take my possessions, they can be replaced but if I'm found to have drugs like heroin the I can lose my freedom and that doesn't have a price tag.

Scary shit.

I'd love to hear of any ideas how I can protect my luggage.

By not using that type of luggage, plenty of hard suitcases that do the job, alternatively let your bag be wrapped. There are wrapping services at airports.

(for the record i send this to my mom as she is crazy about locks I told them they are pointless... that will stir things up)

+1 on baggage wrapping services; available at Suvarnabhumi at Departures door 4 or 5, can't remember which.

Not 100% secure but close to it as it would really take some time and effort to cut through. Making your bag much more inconvenient to tamper with than the next bag is the name of the game.

If travelling from an airport without a wrapping service, just buy a few rolls of cling wrap.

[Fab5BKK]

Avoid luggage with zipps, wrap it and keep valuables with you.

As a side note, be careful on board: once I was made awake by someone who's trying to access my hand luggage. Since then, I lock my hand luggage ;-)

[Skint]

Avoid luggage with zipps, wrap it and keep valuables with you.

As a side note, be careful on board: once I was made awake by someone who's trying to access my hand luggage. Since then, I lock my hand luggage ;-)

There are thieves who put their luggage in your overhead so that you have to put yours elsewhere makes it easy for them to go through your stuff

[Thongkorn]

try shrink wrapping them

[Cat ji]

On 8/7/2014 at 12:33 PM, robblok said:

Some of the hard care suitcases offer far better protection as those zipper cloth ones. Still nothing is fail safe.

All the hard ones i'm seeing have zippers. I'd forgotten, or i imagined they were like Otter boxes and so on.
And most zippers can be opened by [expert/practised thieves] inserting a ballpoint pen into the zipper and then resetting it after they're done. The metal zippers (never seen one on luggage) and...some name for it, that is not the typical nylon "chain" type, cannot be done.
Another problem with trying to find good - actually good, really good - luggage.
However,...the plastic wrapping,...good reason.

[Cat ji]

On 8/8/2014 at 2:57 PM, noahvail said:

I use orange and green cable ties, run them through the lock holes in the zipper pulls and then around the handle. The zip pulls won't move very far at all. So, if a bad guy wants to open the zip, he won't be able to close it. [...]

Only applies to ordinary /general-purpose whatever bags - typical luggage [for flights], soft and hard, lock the zip pulls to the lock.
And TSA requires that security personnel can open the lock with their special TSA lock key. - In which case they will cut the cable ties.
[?]

[Cat ji]

On 8/9/2014 at 11:44 AM, marcusd said:

I had this terrible experience in India 17 years ago so from that date forward I have ONLY bought and used CLAM SHELL cases with NO ZIPPS at all. EVERY zipper can be accessed a friernd of mione in Customs in Australia told me. He said CLAM shell cases were the most secure but CUSTOMS can open them too.

But at least others need more time - than the time need to open zipper cases so I feel safer.

@marcusd Give me brand name, please.
Everything i've looked at, so far, (Delsey, American Tourister, Cellini,...,) has zips.

(And - usual problem - customer reviews on Amazon and so on, they all seem to be crappy wrt the handles.)

Edited December 23, 2018 by Cat ji
username tag

[xylophone]

10 minutes ago, Cat ji said:

@marcusd Give me brand name, please.
Everything i've looked at, so far, (Delsey, American Tourister, Cellini,...,) has zips.

(And - usual problem - customer reviews on Amazon and so on, they all seem to be crappy wrt the handles.)

Like Marcusd I use the Samsonite clam-shell type suitcase.......heavy-ish but very safe. The latest ones even more so.