Do you lock your suitcase and why?
 

Decided on new thread rather than hijacking TSA luggage lock thread.

Maybe I am just an ignorant traveler, but I have never locked a suitcase for air (or other) travel. I figure if someone wants to steal it, they will take the entire suitcase - since many airports don't check claim checks exiting luggage carousel anyway.

As far zipper opening, a ribbon or twist tie takes care of that. And if I had a suitcase with snap lock closures that were prone to opening, I would stop using it - who wants to risk dumping their luggage contents on the pavement walking to the terminal.

So what am I missing here?

well - I almost never check a bag. But when I do, I always lock it. Not because there is anything valuable inside (there isn't) but to ensure it doesn't open either in loading/unloading or on the carousel.

Most suitcases can be jarred open if hit just right.

Oh - and I don't use a "lock" - I use cable ties

I use cable ties. You can tell if someone has been in your suitcase.

After viewing on TV video of baggage handlers unzipping suitcases and pawing through them I decided I didn't want my clothing pawed through. If they have to take the time to clip the ties they will naturally go to a suitcase that is easy to get into.

Even if there is nothing valuable in that suitcase I don't want someone going through it unless it is security. Then I don't like it either but what can you do - it is for the safety of all of us.

I never lock my suitcase and never have anything worth stealing in it. The twist tie is a good idea; thanks for sharing.

I generally lock mine. It depends on where I am going. Going to China they tell your to lock your suitcase. Going to Mexico I will lock it too. I bought a silk comforter in China, and didn`t want it stolen. I have had TSA locks cut off before too.

I quit locking luggage maybe 5 years ago. I'll use either plastic cable ties or kitchen twist ties simply to secure the zippers.

There is nothing of value in my checked suitcase, and I figure a lock only makes it look like there might be (something of value).

My one small suitcase has two handles with a wrap around where you grab it. These two handles never want to stay together - the wraparound comes unsnapped. I found velcro strips at Menards - local big box store. They work great for this.
They wrap around cords on hairdryers etc. There is a hole to pull it through and secure it.

My friend had the luggage handlers wrapped twisted aluminum foil around her handles when they came apart.

I always lock them to make it more work for lazy thieves, especially the airports I have to fly through. I've had my luggage inspected by TSA & they've always relocked it. A thief wouldn't. I use the TSA approved locks.

It makes no difference to me if others don't, though.

I never lock my checked luggage. I take all valuables with me in my carry on. I always pack a certain way that I could tell if someone has gone through my luggage. As far as I can tell no one ever has.

Yes - to stop it opening and losing half my luggage

I've never understood why only the US is incapable of opening locked bags - or was the policy brought in thanks to the bribes - sorry lobbying - of TSA approved lock manufacturers?

Yes - even when there's nothing worth stealing (usually) I don't want someone going through my stuff. I use a TSA lock for US flights, and a normal combination lock the rest of the time.

I'm another one who uses cable ties and for similar reasons as above, it stops casual opening of the bag by non-security personnel.

In Rio, if you don't have locks on your bag, they'll give you cable ties to secure your bag as thefts by baggage handlers are/were quite a problem.

A lot of reasons, mainly practical, such as janisj's point that it helps keep the bag closed during transit.

On that note, I still get asked this question checking in:

"Did you pack the contents of your luggage yourself?"

The point is, they ask the question. Maybe they don't have any good reasons, maybe the threat of ordinary travelers being used as smugglers or drug mules, etc. is vastly exaggerated. But the power of security/customs officials to make life difficult for one is not exaggerated.

So, I want to use such methods as I have for proving that someone could have helped me 'pack' the bag while it was in transit. (These days, one must prove one's innocence, since of course all passengers are guilty until proven otherwise these days.) A broken lock isn't much, but as evidence of unauthorized entry it is better than nothing, and besides, it is of nominal trouble to me to use a lock in the first place: it takes me only seconds to lock the bag, and the locks don't cost much.

By the way, such news accounts as I've read about baggage theft rings among baggage handlers indicate they don't swipe the entire suitcase but lift such of the contents as are deemed desirable.

http://tinyurl.com/5fugnl

Of course, the lock won't prevent the theft. And many travelers, self included, rarely pack valuable pieces of clothing - except in the instance of a trip for the purpose of attending a special event. In that case, it could be convenient to know sooner rather than later that something is missing, say a good pair of shoes that one was planning to wear to the event.

I haven't locked my checked luggage since 9/11. I thought you weren't allowed unless it was TSA locks. Anyway, I put all valuables in my carry on. I've never had anything come up missing in all these years.

I lock my suitcase. Just a habit :) No particular reason to do that.

I do not lock my suitcase. Last year I flew from SFO/JFK/ZAG, when I opened my suitcase after checked into a hotel in Zagreb, I was surprised to find a beatiful gift box about the size of a large Kleenex box. It was empty. The poor soul who bought this gift for a special person must be very upset! Someone must stole the content and threw the box into my suitcase. I just left that empty box in the hotel room when I checked out. I think I better use the the cable ties from now on.

<<< I thought you weren't allowed unless it was TSA locks. >>>

Only applies to incompetent countries who can't open locks without assistance

I lock my suitcases not because I'm afraid something might be stolen; I worry about something "illegal" being put into it.

for those of you who use the cable ties, do you find that the TSA agents cut them quite frequently? I guess I don't see the point in using them if they can be cut off and not put back on?

I either lock or twist-tie my checked bags, primarily for either deterrence (figure it's an extra step to discourage pilferers-in-a-hurry) or as a signal of tampering. I don't expect the luggage to stay locked, necessarily, but if the lock or twist-tie is gone when I pick it up, I IMMEDIATELY check the contents in case I need to file a claim before I leave the airport. If there's a TSA sheet in the luggage, that's one thing. If there isn't and stuff has been disturbed, I want to be able to report it promptly.

By the way, I also use the twist-tie or a lock in a hotel, again as a discouragement. A determined thief won't be stopped, but the thief of opportunity may give it a pass.

thanks JJ...just the info I was looking for! I will definitely use the cable ties when I travel in a few weeks.

No I don't see any point in locking my luggage. The zippers are secure, they are not going to pop open.

I don't care if the bag gets searched. Reporting a theft of anything that I had in a checked bag would be a waste of time. There is not going to be anything valuable to someone else in it. Maybe some people have to-kill-for sneakers in their luggage, but not me. If some poor bastard wants to steal my pants he can have them. But that it not going to happen.

<<< The zippers are secure, they are not going to pop open. >>>

You'd be surprised how easy zips and catches come undone when roughly handled

I lock my suitcase just so that, as others have said, it makes it harder for a lazy or amateur thief to get into. If its a pro thief, I doubt much would stop them from getting into the bag.

Yes, I would be extremely surprised. Can't say it won't happen but the risk is very small with the quality of luggage that I have (and it is not so expensive that the luggage itself would be an object of theft). It is such an insignificant chance that I am willing to take it. This is not advice, just my view.

Locking your suitcase so no drugs or anything illegal can be put into the bag is a very good reason to lock or use ties.

A young girl had drugs put into her boogie board bag in Australia and it was found in Indonesia. She did not lock her bag. She is now in prison for life unless Australia can eventually get her released.

If your ties are cut off you know someone was in your bag. It is just a deterrent. If a thief or someone up to no good wants in your bag they will get in - but they will look in the bags that aren't locked first.

I always lock my suitcases with (TSA) locks . Decades ago, in the 70s and 80s, I didn't always lock my luggage. I've had things stolen from baggage handlers.

First, if someone wants to steal something of mine, then they had better work for it. I'm not handing it over on a silver platter. And some say they don't have anything valuable anyhow...well that may be true, but stolen items have to be replaced and it's not free to replace things. So, it's all valuable to me.

Secondly, there are baggage handlers who do go through stuff depending on where, in the world, you're traveling to. And they do steal. There was just a post, not long ago, on the Argentina forum, that in Buenos Aires this is a regular occurrence.

One must also be careful at the ex-ray machine area. There was a big report, just a few years ago, here in L.A. where the ex-ray guys were stealing. A passenger lost his Rolex watch, I think it was, that way. And people have lost money. A TV news reporter even went to the thief's house and talked to him through the screen door and the guy admitted that he'd stolen the watch.

On a flight to Bangkok, via Singapore about a year and a half ago, when my suitcase arrived in Bangkok, the TSA locks were off. The TSA people didn't put the locks back on. When I got home, I filed a claim. On the claim was a question of whether anything was missing. Nothing was missing except my $10.00 TSA locks, which I got reimbursed for.

I rebought one lock in Bangkok, which cost me $20.00 there, so that the luggage wouldn't have to travel all the way back to L.A. totally unlocked.

Friends laugh because I use the Club on my car steering wheel and have used one regularly since 1980. I tell them that if a car thief comes, and wants to steal a car, then he might just overlook my car and steal the one that's easiest to get to. And yes, I'm aware that the Club can be sawed off, but most criminals probably won't go through all of that with a lot full of non-Clubbed cars.

Plus, I'm going to make it as tough for thieves as possible. I'm not just handing over my new 2008 easily. I once came out of a store, one afternoon, and a young guy was screaming that his car had been stolen. This was in Woodland Hills, the Valley (L.A.) in a grocery store parking lot.

Two people at work had their cars stolen within a month of each other. One in front of her house and the other in the parking lot of a Target and in broad open daylight and in supposedly "safe" areas. They no longer laugh at my Club.

So, as far as I'm concerned, the same goes for luggage. Make it harder on the criminals. Happy Travels!

Does anyone see the irony in the need to lock luggage?

If TSA protects the security of airports, why lock luggage? If luggage or its contents are stolen, that can only be because TSA has <i>not</i> maintained the security of the airport (unless TSA is stealing the stuff itself).

So if luggage needs to be locked, that's a tacit admission that TSA cannot keep airports secure. And if employees at airports can walk out with baggage and personal property belonging to other people, terrorists can walk in with bombs.

&lt;&lt;After viewing on TV video of baggage handlers unzipping suitcases and pawing through them I decided I didn't want my clothing pawed through. If they have to take the time to clip the ties they will naturally go to a suitcase that is easy to get into.&gt;.

I saw the same video and have locked my luggage ever since.

&quot;If TSA protects the security of airports, why lock luggage?&quot;

To protect it from baggage handlers -- the more flights you have on an itinerary the more it's handled. The TSA protects the airports, not your luggage.