robjame,

re: "in Europe tere is no restriction as to type of lock that can be used"

my lock was cut on my return trip from Florence to Newark. Nothing was taken or even touched. The lock was gone and the zipper-pull damaged by the cut.

And do you think it was done by inspectors or thieves or the lock catching on something?
What did the airline say?
My guess would be mishandled luggage - lock cathches on something and is wrenched free ripping zipper. What do you think?

There are going to be some thieves who go for the locked bags because they are looking for expensive/valuable items.

There are going to be some thieves who go for the unlocked bags because they're easy to access.

My decision was to not put anything of value to me (that's monetary, sentimental, or both) in my checked bags.

Since there's nothing of value in the bag, I don't bother locking it.

However, I do bring locks with me (I attach them to my carry on for the trip) and use them when I leave my luggage in the hotel room and to lock my backpack/carryall when I'm trotting around.

We flew from LAX/JFK/Heathrow/Madrid in 04 (not a great ride)

Bought the TSA approved locks prior to the trip. Upon arrival in Madrid, we found all the locks bent and could not be reused. Just not sure exactly at what point they were squashed.

Although at the onset of the trip waited in the plane in L.A. to take off, several of us watched a crew flinging luggage around. It was not a surprise when we saw the bent locks.

Gee whiz, if what was in my baggage was of no value, I would leave it at home. In fact, I'd get rid of it before I left home so I wouldn't have to come back to it!

I lock my bags every time and until last spring used an antique lock that I am sure was not TSA approved. And the new lock is only because I was sick of worrying about the key and wanted a combination.

When I moved from Boston to Switzerland 7 years ago I had a lock on my giant bag with wheels and when it arrived in Switzerland there was no lock on it. When I opened the bag, there was the lock - on top of all my clothes. I don't know if it was opened (it wasn't cut) in Boston or Zurich but somebody got into it.

Tom - by items of "no value", I meant items that I don't mind losing - clothing, toiletries, books...

Basically, I don't worry about my checked bag. If something goes missing, oh well; if the bag doesn't arrive, oh well - I'll just go shopping.

Not that I want to spend my money replacing clothes, etc. on my trip, but I'd rather spend a day going on a shopping spree than spend several stressing over a missing item or bag.

Nah, I never bother to lock checked bags. Someone is going to go through them anyway. I have a sort of zen attitude about checked luggage: if it gets there intact, it gets there intact. My luggage usually seems to have been gone through, and I often have a little note inside telling me so, but nothing stolen so far.

I don't really believe that locks slow anyone down. "Padlock" type have universal keys and are easily picked, and anyone can easily figure out the combination by the shiny numbers.

I think fancy bags with really good locks attract attention.

I used twist ties to keep the zipper pulls together.

If theft is going to happen it will happen with or without locks. I work for a US airline and we get just as many pilfrege reports so I don't think it matters. We also have lock cutters in the office and use them frequently when we have bags with no tags.

I'm flying to Rome tomorrow. I will be checking bag with clothes in it since I am working there next week. I will put a safety pin on my zipper just because it's a bit slippy.

My carry-on will have everything I need to survive a few days just in case the bag doesn't arrive because in reality that's more of an issue than theft.

I switched to plastic cable ties or twist ties a while back. I don't see the point of locking a suitcase, either domestic or international travel.

Obviously locks are no deterrent to thievery. Safety concerns override personal security demands. Leave the family jewels at home! Insure! Use UPS or such and post/ship ahead. Most personal valuable items can surely be carried on person. I have seen passengers wearing three layers of clothing to avoid weight restrictions on luggage.

Even if you have a TSA lock, TSA don't bother to unlock it when opening/checking checked luggage. They just break the lock.....this has been our experience since 2001. So, like most of you, we just put cable ties upon checking, bring extra on our way back and bring a real lock for when we take the train or if we have to leave the luggage at the hotel.

My experience with the TSA locks has never been a problem. A few years back when checking in I watched the person search my bag and then asked that they call their supervisor as they had taken books out from around the edges and just stuffed them on top. I told them it was unacceptable to me. I carefully pack and certainly did not need them to make a mess.

Since then, I automatically ask them to call a supervisor when checking in and tell them the story..they usually check it themselves, using a wand device that goes around the inside edge..put the inspected notice inside and sticker outside and tell me it will not be looked at again.

Since I take a shuttle to either ATL or CVG for my International flights..making certain that I have a spare flight in case of plane problems,I am always with plenty of time in either ATL or CVG. I then ask if they can tell me if my luggage is aboard the plane. They check and have always been able to advise me that it is on the plane. I can then relax that my luggage will probably arrive at CDG with me!!

Never had a TSA lock problem...

I, too, feel it is inevitable that my bags will be robbed so I leave the zippers unzippered just to make it easier. I put my valuable items in the outside pockets with little labels such as "camera in here" or "watch at bottom of this pocket". I feel so sure that they will never reach their destination, that I send them to Zimbabwe at the start of the journey.
I keep my hotel room unlocked, spare change on the desk and anything really valuable in plain sight on the bed. I use a backpack (unzippered and on the back) with my camera of the day in plain view. I never bother with a money belt, in fact, this next time I am going to give my credit cards and money to the first shifty person that I see (probably in the Metro).
And I don't lock my suitcase because " locks are no deterrent to thievery".

Robjame

Seriously, I think it's like a car. Locking the doors will reduce the chance of theft, but not eliminate it completely. Not leaving valuable items in the car will reduce the chance of theft, but not eliminate it completely.

We each do what works for us and hope for the best. I know folks who lock their suitcases and have never had a problem, folks who lock their suitcases and have them broken into, folks who don't lock their suitcases and never had a problem, and folks who don't lock their suitcases and have them gotten into.

Since there has never been any collection of statistics (in my knowledge), then we're all guessing at what works best.

<<we're all guessing at what works best>>
One thing we do know for sure, it is more difficult to open a suitcase WITH a lock then it is to open one WITHOUT. We have a saying about locks on houses - it keeps the honest people honest. With homes, breaking and entering is more serious a crime than walking in an open door.
By locking my suitcase, I take away the "opportunity" in a crime of opportunity. I also have a stronger case when I tell the authorities that I took every reasonable precaution. Where are the lawyers when I need one? LOL

LOL robjame!

I do exactly as Toedtoes describes. Right down to taking small combination locks with me to use while at a hotel or on a train.

Actually I am smiling because Toedtoes thinking and mine is exactly the same.

I do agree Robjame. I lock my car everytime I leave it. However, I don't leave anything valuable in it unless absolutely necessary because even with it locked, there's too much chance of someone breaking into it.

There are some places I can't really reduce the "enticements" for a thief (i.e., I can't remove everything of value from my home), so I make sure I have a good security setup to protect those items. However, in places where I CAN reduce the "enticements", I do and spend less time worrying about protecting what doesn't need protecting.

P.S. I have actually seen some locks that come apart when you pull them - they honestly made access no more difficult (might have made it easier because you had a bigger zipper pull to grab a hold of). If you're going to use a lock, definitely get a quality one.

LoveItaly - are we sure we're not related?

..certainly when I flew through LA airport there was a sign not to lock your bag. If the checked bag was locked and needed to be opened, the lock would be destroyed.