32,000 Feet Heist: Thefts on Planes

I'll be honest, the thought of being robbed at 32,000 feet never occurred to me - until I watched CSI last week. Who says television doesn't teach you anything?

Airport theft isn't a problem that should have all of us driving to our next destination, but it happens. And not just at cruising altitude. Absolute Software, a company that provides recovery and tracking of lost electronic devices keeps track of airport thefts. It breaks down like this**:

- 25% Luggage Claim/Storage
- 24% Plane
- 18% Check-in/Security Area
- 18% Other
- 15% Terminal/Boarding Area

Luggage claim seems like an obvious one. With some people not arriving until bags have already started to circulate, I imagine it isn't that difficult to walk away with someone's entire suitcase. Thieves also target people at security. If you have several bins going through, and someone ahead of you holds up the line, your stuff could just be sitting at the other end of the conveyor belt while you haven't even gone through the metal detector.

A would-be thief watches for people who look flustered and confused at security as well. They're more likely to forget something, or not pay attention to their items. A tip for security: put your most valuable items through last to ensure you're standing there waiting for them when they come through x-ray.

What about in-flight? Thieves often buy a seat in the aisle near the back of the plane and use pre-boarding to get on first. Then they watch everyone come on the plane - who has a fancy bag, who stores a laptop case, or a computer bag? They memorize where these items are placed. They might even get up after and put a bag they are carrying next to the bag they want to hit. Then they wait awhile, until everyone is reading/watching tv/sleeping, get up to check their bag, and snag something out of the bag next to it. Who's going to notice? Especially since more often than not, your bag isn't even above your head.

When I think about how easy it would be for someone to steal something out of a bag in a storage bin, it makes me not want to put my things in a storage bin. But sometimes you have to. So to keep your things more secure:
1. Keep valuable items in a smaller bag at your feet
2. Place your bags in the overhead storage bin with the zippers facing in and down, wheels out (yeah, I don't think that's the way they tell you to do it, but it's your stuff in there!)
3. Lock the zippers on your bags if you are storing something valuable (probably don't put the lock on until after security)

I know those are all really obvious things once you think about it, but who thinks about it?! I know I will from now on!

**Thefts are difficult to track as most victims don't even realize an item is missing until they unpack. Even if it is noticed, once passengers are off the plane they're next to impossible to track down.