Potential item theft in checked baggage on VA domestic

[RooFlyer]

Stat Dec as legit it may seem, it's just here Mr policeman, please sign this... Yeah no probs.

Still zero evidence an airline employee opened your bag and took your own.

A Stat Dec carries a bit more weight than you are giving it credit for. Sure, it may be a complete fabrication, but you'd have to think the penalty for swearing a false stat dec far outweighs the value of most checked bags. Its about the same weight as ANY statement to police re a theft etc under any circumstance. False statement - I think definitely probs.

 

[MooTime]

The evidence you demand requires proving a few elements - It was owned, it was in the case and it was taken from the case or did not arrive.

Purchase receipt proves they owned the item.
Actually a statutory declaration is an Oath under whichever legislation applies and therefore has the same legal meaning, and potential penalties, as an Oath made before a court. Yes, a stat dec meets the meaning of evidence.

Perhaps brush up on how this stuff works before cynically dismissing it. Actually the cynical dismissal is probably informative.

Police reports - similar there are penalties for providing false information.

Again, the basic question - How do you know the OP cannot provide evidence the item was in their bag?

Where's the evidence or was even in the case?

Stat Dec like I said, easy to produce, not necessarily true, wouldn't be the first time. You seem to have a lot of faith in ppl acting morally. Have you seen a cop or JP sign them, it's yeah here and get outta here, I have more important things to do.

I know how this stuff works, nice term btw, and I know how deceitful some ppl are.

Remembering where a zip is in relation to your suitcase as you closed it and taking note of that.... Seems awfully detailed... Have you ever remembered where your suitcase zip ends?

I don't know the OP can or can't provide the evidence, that's not my point at all, you've traversed the thread into some legal trail, I just posted why would any airline offer compo right away as another poster commented.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Remembering where a zip is in relation to your suitcase as you closed it and taking note of that.... Seems awfully detailed... Have you ever remembered where your suitcase zip ends?

Yup, always in the same place! Right at the bottom. If they were moved it would not be of their own accord!

 

[RooFlyer]

Have you seen a cop or JP sign them, it's yeah here and get outta here, I have more important things to do.

Cop/JP merely witnesses a stat dec. So yes, they probably do have more important things to do, but its one of their duties so fairly important.

Have you ever remembered where your suitcase zip ends?

Mine is put together with its pair by a cable tie at the top corner. No, won't stop the zip being opened forcibly but a little deterrent if a potential thief is in a hurry. Move to the next, easier bag.

BTW, the best 'insurance' if one needs to claim for a theft from a bag is to photograph the suitcase as it gets filled; as well as some 'evidence' that things were in a lost bag, also a reminder to me what was packed!

 

[MooTime]

Cop/JP merely witnesses a stat dec. So yes, they probably do have more important things to do, but its one of their duties so fairly important.



Mine is put together with its pair by a cable tie at the top corner. No, won't stop the zip being opened forcibly but a little deterrent if a potential thief is in a hurry. Move to the next, easier bag.

BTW, the best 'insurance' if one needs to claim for a theft from a bag is to photograph the suitcase as it gets filled; as well as some 'evidence' that things were in a lost bag, also a reminder to me what was packed!

I guess my zip-line theory is a little fruitless.
My zip ends on a lock so always has to be in same position. Do like the cable tie idea though. Thanks.

Even filming the suitcase contents, unless it has a date and even location attached to the file, it could mean little, no?

 

[Quickstatus]

I was hoping to share my experience and would be interested to see if anyone had been in a similar situation.

So far, I've contacted VA, provided a stat declaration, and submitted a theft report with the AFP.

In all likelihood, I won't recover the item or receive any compensation, but I'd be interested in hearing from others who might have had similar experiences

The original post is not about how to prove the item was stolen but the sharing of a negative experience, and a request of others who may have had similar experiences....

 

[RooFlyer]

Even filming the suitcase contents, unless it has a date and even location attached to the file, it could mean little, no?

Sure, but its a little more substantiation (if push comes to shove, I'd show them my phone with the pics date stamped in order and geo located ) and as I said, its an aid memoir for me if the whole lot goes missing as to what was there - which jumpers, books etc.

I started doing this after a tip here on AFF when someone lost their bag on their way home, put a claim in, but forgot to include an expensive souvenir signed ?Ice Hockey jersey bought while O/S.

My philosophy - first of course, don't put anything of great value in checked bags - but sometimes you have to put stuff of 'value' in it; then discourage an open-and-grab thief, such as cable-tying the zips and even wrapping a strap around the bag +/- locking that; then trying to mitigate any theft/loss by having a record of what was in the bag.

 

[Quickstatus]

So how many do the luggage wrapping thing?

 

[Scarlett]

Humans: let’s reduce single use plastic by stopping giving out plastic straws at food places and bags at supermarkets.

Also humans: let’s wrap our suitcases with a whole bunch of single use plastic…



These kind of fixed locking points on many suitcases are also useful for making the ‘pen through the zip technique’ of opening bags, very noticeable (they can’t be reclosed).

But then of course you have to wonder just how many people out there now have their own TSA lock openers…

 

[DC3]

Any hints on the nature of the item?

Gold bar?

 

[Skyring]

Mine is put together with its pair by a cable tie at the top corner. No, won't stop the zip being opened forcibly but a little deterrent if a potential thief is in a hurry. Move to the next, easier bag.

BTW, the best 'insurance' if one needs to claim for a theft from a bag is to photograph the suitcase as it gets filled; as well as some 'evidence' that things were in a lost bag, also a reminder to me what was packed!

I like the photography. Much like my reflexive photographing a rental car at beginning and end.

As for the cable tie, far be it for me to claim a precise insight into the criminal mind but if I were possessed of limited time to select bags I'd look for ones with some indication that the owner didn't want them opened. Because those would most likely be the ones with something other than dirty laundry and tacky souvenirs.

Pete, providing a precise insight into his luggage

 

[Anna]

Any hints on the nature of the item?

I'm thinking it has to be something that could not be in carry-on luggage. Cos obvs otherwise the OP would have had their valuable item with them at all times. So, maybe a firearm of some kind, or replica? That might have been quite noticeable if the bags were xrayed? (Thinking back to the time I stored a bag at a train station in London and they xrayed it and then interrogated me about the 'gun' in my bag, which was actually an umbrella ).

As to the OP's question about similar experiences, I've never lost anything valuable (because, like, I carry them with me) but in the USA I have had small items vanish and when I see the TSA card in the bag I assume the TSA have rummaged through the bag and small things have fallen out and they either don't care or don't notice.

 

[UP4014]

Anywhere there is people there is the chance of theft and airports while having cameras have many people and opportunity, I would think about the only exception would be the money count room in a casino.

 

[TheInsider]

I'm thinking it has to be something that could not be in carry-on luggage. Cos obvs otherwise the OP would have had their valuable item with them at all times. So, maybe a firearm of some kind, or replica? That might have been quite noticeable if the bags were xrayed? (Thinking back to the time I stored a bag at a train station in London and they xrayed it and then interrogated me about the 'gun' in my bag, which was actually an umbrella ).

As to the OP's question about similar experiences, I've never lost anything valuable (because, like, I carry them with me) but in the USA I have had small items vanish and when I see the TSA card in the bag I assume the TSA have rummaged through the bag and small things have fallen out and they either don't care or don't notice.

With the bags being screened, ramp staff have zero access to this information or any of its imagery.

 

[Anna]

With the bags being screened, ramp staff have zero access to this information or any of its imagery.

So? Maybe the item was taken by someone who does have that access.

 

[Vic]

Where's the evidence or was even in the case?

Stat Dec like I said, easy to produce, not necessarily true, wouldn't be the first time. You seem to have a lot of faith in ppl acting morally. Have you seen a cop or JP sign them, it's yeah here and get outta here, I have more important things to do.

Well since the Op does not need to prove anything to a random on the internet, the fact you haven't seen evidence does not mean the evidence doesn't exist.

The expediency of someone witnessing a document does NOT change the legal standing of the document. Their job is to attest to the person who made the declaration, as a trustworthy person.
There seems to be a complete misunderstanding of the role of the witness, they do not verify the information in the Stat Dec. Hence my question about knowing how this stuff works.

 

[MooTime]

does not need to prove anything to a random on the internet,

A "random on the internet", well that's it close down the thread, all threads, all forums it's all over... Random on the net giving a view point, right or wrong in ones eyes, no sorry we can't have this!!!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So? Maybe the item was taken by someone who does have that access.

Or the person who viewed the images told an accomplice elsewhere.

 

[DC3]

The conjecture in this thread is becoming quite interesting

 

[antycbr]

Another thing to consider is if the terminal is multi-user there can be multiple staff from different ground handling firms with access to airside spaces with bags stored waiting for loading. So can be difficult to identify.

With the recent huge changes in ground handling across different airlines (ahem QF) and difficulty in recruiting staff for this work either insourced or contracted… you’d have to speculate that some people with pilfering instincts would have made it through the ASIC process. The deterrent controls may not be effective - CCTV requires monitoring and has blind spots, also random searches aren’t always that random if you observe over a period of time. Lots of ways for controls to fail.