by Chances are, you’ll carry more valuables with you when flying than you would on a normal day. Not just your wallet and phone, but perhaps also a laptop, cash, cameras, jewelry – all are rich pickings for thieves.
If you were taking these riches on a trip to the supermarket, you wouldn’t leave them unattended, and yet on a plane, you could be separated from your bag for several hours while it’s in an overhead locker.
Airlines do not release statistics on in-flight theft, and when incidents occur, police reports are provided by the local force at the plane’s destination, making it impossible to judge exactly how many carry-on baggage thefts are occurring, or whether the numbers are increasing.
However, headlines about high-profile cases are certainly on the rise. This winter alone, events included a man stealing $23,000 (£18,200) in cash from other passengers on a flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore, and the arrest of a “serial” robbery suspect in Tokyo, which is believed to have targeted transit flights through Asia. to Europe and the United States.
“Shipboard theft is not as bold as you might think, and some people make a career out of it,” says personal security expert Lloyd Figgins, executive director of the Travel Risk and Incident Prevention Group (TRIP), and author of The travel survival guide. “It’s easy for thieves to see where you put your luggage and when you’re distracted. On cheap domestic flights, criminals can more than cover the cost of their ticket by freeing tourists of their valuables, and they don’t have to go through immigration or security when they get off. “They just disappear.”
How do thieves work on board?
The crimes range from the simplest to the most sophisticated. Last summer, the Canadian government updated its travel recommendations to warn of an increase in “theft of carry-on luggage stored in overhead bins and under seats.” Often the traveler does not realize that something is missing until much later.”
In November, Mudit Rai landed at Lucknow airport in India to discover that his bag containing an Apple laptop had been exchanged for another. “When the flight landed I sat there, waiting for the others to get out first,” she told local media. Rai initially believed that an innocent mistake had occurred, but police are now investigating the incident.
In the Tokyo arrest case, police said the 51-year-old suspect pretended to search his luggage in the overhead compartment while stealing passengers’ high-value euro and U.S. dollar bills, exchanging them for small denomination bills from Indonesia and Cambodia. bills, to maintain the weight and volume of the wallets.
Do planes have CCTV?
Airplanes use CCTV, but they generally do not look into their cabins. After the 9/11 attacks, commercial airlines installed cameras on their cabin doors to allow pilots to monitor those seeking entry, but aviation unions quashed broader surveillance, fearing that employees were improperly observed while working.
On land, the story is similar on the Eurostar, which also has no CCTV on board. However, domestic trains and ferry lines tend to have cameras – it’s common practice among companies such as Stena Line, Brittany Ferries and P&O Ferries.
In the absence of CCTV, nothing monitors what happens in a cabin except the passengers and cabin crew, who, of course, are trained to detect incidents. “Yeah [crew] To identify suspicious behavior, the protocols require that you notify the pilot, who is the highest authority on the plane,” advises a Vueling spokesperson. “If necessary, the pilot could decide to request the intervention of local authorities.”
What to do if your hand luggage is stolen mid-flight
If you notice something is missing, inform the cabin crew immediately, says Figgins. “Do not wait until you have exited the plane, as at that time the thief could have left or given his belongings to an accomplice. Thieves often work in pairs or groups to minimize the chances of being caught. Voice your complaint and encourage other passengers to check their belongings, as they too may be victims.”
Whether you notice missing belongings during or after the flight, you should obtain a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) from the airline and register the incident with local police for a report. “This is crucial,” says Jonathan Frankham, CEO of travel insurer World Nomads. “You should also retain all associated documents (tickets, luggage tags, etc.) as they are vital to any claim. Please save receipts for any emergency purchases you need to make, along with any itineraries and booking confirmations affected by the incident.”
When claiming cash or valuables, you’ll need “proof of purchase,” warns Tim Riley, CEO of travel insurance company True Traveler. “You must provide a bank statement or ATM report to prove that you have withdrawn the cash.”
And before you buy a policy (or entrust your carry-on to a distant overhead bin), check your insurer’s terms and conditions on “unattended belongings,” says Riley. “Policy wording may vary. Lost luggage is generally covered if it is not left unattended, so this means that a theft from an overhead locker may be covered.
How to secure your hand luggage during the flight
“Think of your carry-on security as an onion,” says Figgins. “Do it in several layers: the more security procedures (layers) you have in place, the more difficult the thief’s job will be. Criminals like to select targets that are easy and offer them the best chance of not getting caught. Make it difficult for them.”
Place your hand luggage in the locker opposite your seat, rather than the one above you, so you can see if anyone tries to interfere with it and, where possible, lock it with a padlock.
You should carry valuables such as cash, passports, and electronic devices with you at all times, especially when sleeping or in the bathroom. “As close to your skin as possible,” says Figgins. “Distribute your cash in different places and never keep it all in the same place. Passports fetch a good price on the black market, making them especially attractive to thieves.”
