Theft on board

[dajop]

Why do people persevere with valuables in carry on?

It's not that difficult to wear a jacket with enough pockets for wallet, phones, passport etc.

The latter is uncomfortable if in business class when trying to sleep. But if was carrying thousands of dollars in cash I’d find a way of carrying that doesn’t leave it sitting in the overhead locker.

 

[JohnK]

The latter is uncomfortable if in business class when trying to sleep. But if was carrying thousands of dollars in cash I’d find a way of carrying that doesn’t leave it sitting in the overhead locker.

It's also slightly uncomfortable to have wallet in back pocket but there's no way I'm giving anyone an opportunity for a quick cash grab.

My jacket has 2 zip pockets on the sides and a deep inside pocket. And no the jacket does not come off inflight.

 

[albatross710]

Is it really that common? If we believe "Airlines flew nearly 4.5 billion passengers on nearly 45 million flights worldwide" then there will be thefts but maybe less common than we think. The examples so far given happened over a few annual periods.

 

[maia200]

I generally don't fly with anything valuable, even leave my jewellery at home and I have my fit bit for the time. If I am attending a function then I will take costume jewellery in packed luggage. My mobile phone, sunglasses, purse, passport etc is normally in my handbag which comes with me everywhere and is normally in the seat pocket....can't do much about it though if I am asleep. I do not carry money only cc.

 

[Buzzard]

I don't understand why people carry large amounts of cash on an aircraft. Are they afraid of using an ATM if they need cash?

 

[tdimdad]

We've talked about overhead bins, seat pockets and jackets. What's your view or experience of how safe would be a bag under the seat (in your foot area)?
I'm one of those who prefer to offload everything from my pockets to get a more comfortable sitting and would feel really uncomfortable wearing a jacket through the flight. But my little bag lives happily under seat. Is it any better than e.g. a seat pocket?

 

[dajop]

I don't understand why people carry large amounts of cash on an aircraft. Are they afraid of using an ATM if they need cash?

This typically isn’t money they are planning to spend on holidays .....

 

[SeatBackForward]

I reckon the baggage carousel at Australian Domestic airport are still the weakest point from a threft perspective. Anyone can wander in, casually lift off a suitcase, calmly walk out, and thats it... No traceability, you'll be lucky if CCTV get a good enough picture to ID the person.

 

[Buzzard]

This typically isn’t money they are planning to spend on holidays .....

Right, I see what you mean.

 

[Himeno]

We've talked about overhead bins, seat pockets and jackets. What's your view or experience of how safe would be a bag under the seat (in your foot area)?

Once on QF32, the person on the seat in front (ie, the seat above my underseat storage space) tried to steal my shoes that were stored there.

 

[sudoer]

I reckon the baggage carousel at Australian Domestic airport are still the weakest point from a threft perspective. Anyone can wander in, casually lift off a suitcase, calmly walk out, and thats it... No traceability, you'll be lucky if CCTV get a good enough picture to ID the person.

I wonder if something will be done about it following this:

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...ne-airport-baggage-theft-20190108-p50q94.html

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Ah, its Roberta's sister that's the culprit.
I didn't realise it was her, didn't want to make fuss on here as to who it was.
Ta for that.

 

[dajop]

I reckon the baggage carousel at Australian Domestic airport are still the weakest point from a threft perspective. Anyone can wander in, casually lift off a suitcase, calmly walk out, and thats it... No traceability, you'll be lucky if CCTV get a good enough picture to ID the person.

I guess the risk/reward ratio may be too high for this to be a major problem. After all a thief wouldn’t know if they are getting a case full of valuables, or a case full of dirty second hand clothes...

 

[MickC32]

I guess the risk/reward ratio may be too high for this to be a major problem. After all a thief wouldn’t know if they are getting a case full of valuables, or a case full of dirty second hand clothes...

Yep....anyone taking my bag would be severely disappointed!

 

[Flying mermaid]

I don't understand why people carry large amounts of cash on an aircraft. Are they afraid of using an ATM if they need cash?

we do if we are going to game reserves in Africa. Where I can I will still draw local currency from an ATM to use as tips, but for e,g, on our last trip we flew from Kigali in Rwanda to our game reserve in Tanzania by light plane. We cleared immigration at some little border post and never went anywhere near a bank or ATM. I needed around US$2,000 for tips for those camps and had probably started out with about double that in US$.

 

[turtlemichael]

Why do people persevere with valuables in carry on?

It's not that difficult to wear a jacket with enough pockets for wallet, phones, passport etc.

I imagine it would be a bit uncomfortable trying to sleep with $346K in your jacket pockets but I guess I could learn to live with it.

 

[Hvr]

I imagine it would be a bit uncomfortable trying to sleep with $346K in your jacket pockets but I guess I could learn to live with it.

That much money would be a small pillow.

 

[JohnK]

I imagine it would be a bit uncomfortable trying to sleep with $346K in your jacket pockets but I guess I could learn to live with it.

If I had that much money on me comfort would be the last thing on my mind.

An old friend brought back $60,000 from Greece over 30 years ago with the money in his shoes and in the jacket lining. Security was obviously not as good as today.

 

[RichardMEL]

If someone had that much cash on them, and I understand keeping it out of a checked bag.. put the bloody thing under the seat in front of you!!!

Anyway I flew MH this week and they have a special announcement on every sector that was along the lines of "be mindful of your personal items at all times during the flight" (basically a CYA announcement I guess) but I noted it with interest

 

[Berrocca]

I had to travel with 4000 Euros last year (strange thing with some car rental companies not requiring a credit card deposit if payment is in cash and the private home owner only wanting cash). so I had an internal pocket sown into my trousers. No way anyone could get at that money without waking me! If I'd lost my pants, then there'd be problems in more ways than one!

On a side note, stupid me ended up taking it in 500 euro notes and it is not easy for people to happily accept that high a denomination. You basically have to go to a bank and get it changed, with your passport as ID and a small fee payable if you're not a customer. This was in Portugal.