Hi. When I have travelled, I have occasionally come back into my room and found stuff missing? Like a t-shirt, a pair of earrings, etc. That is a good reason why to not bring good stuff, but has anyone a foolproof way to know if someone has been rifleing through your things. I usually leave my suitcase locked, with any medicines, valuables, etc. I don't carry much on me (got ripped off once in Oxford Stree, London) but don't like to leave it in the room either, and "checking" it is too much trouble, each time you go in or out the door. <BR>Just wondering,

sandi <BR>I don't know if there is a foolproof system, but I have read NOT to place valuables in a locked suitcase. It may appear to be tempting and someone can just take the whole suitcase, as I believe happened to someone who posted on this forum not too long ago. My philosophy is, if I can't bear or afford to lose it, either I don't bring it with me, or I leave it in the hotel safe.

Perhaps you should stay in a better class of hotel if this is a problem for you, as I have traveled a lot all over the world for 20+ years (and the US a lot) and have never had this happen. If you don't even miss something or know it is gone, then it doesn't much matter, now does it? The foolproof way to know is to put some of those explosive dye things inside your suitcase, the kind banks use with money to detect crooks, so when they open it dye gets all over them (and the floor). Or, you can hide in the closet all day and peek through a crack or hole in the door or something. You might miss some sightseeing but your Tshirt is probably more important; I've heard dirty, used American Tshirts really bring a pretty penny on the black market in London.

Good Grief Christina, I don't think she deserved that! I've had things stolen from nice hotels in the US. No one was <BR>insinuating anything else!!

Actually I got a good laugh from Christina's posting, thanks, Christina!

I recently purchased a bag of heavy-duty plastic ties, costs about $2.00 for 50. You can easily slip them through your luggage where you don't have a lock, and while the "thief" could easily cut the tie, more than likely they won't. Only down side is that you have to have a small scissors with you to get back in. I find these useful, especially when I check my luggage through the airlines. Just an added hassle for the thief!

I LOVE the dye-pack idea.

I remember James Bond used talcum powder on the briefcase locks and a wetted human hair on the closet door to detect if anybody had broken in.