8 Tips to Keep the TSA from Stealing Your Stuff

TSA Watch ^ | 4/8/2013 | TSA Watch

[TSA-Watch]

Long security lines, ever changing rules about what is and is not allowed, manhandling pat-downs... Thanks to the TSA, air travel is unpleasant enough as it is and now we have to worry about TSA agents stealing from us? And there's no way to NOT have them go through your luggage.They go through your checked baggage and rifle through your carry-on. You have no choice but to submit to this if you want to be able to board your flight.

So what is a law abiding air traveler to do in order to protect his or her belongings from the very people who claim to be keeping us safe?

Fortunately there are some steps you can take to secure your belongings and minimize the likelihood of someone - including TSA agents - stealing your stuff.

Here's how.

Tips to Keep Thieves (Including the TSA) from Stealing Your Stuff

1. Don't pack anything valuable in your checked luggage. This includes jewelry, cash, electronics, medication, etc...
2. Know what you are bringing with you. Make a list of everything you pack and note where you packed it. If you can, photograph any valuables that you are bringing with you.
3. Use the buddy system! If you're traveling with someone, stagger yourselves in the security check line so that there are a couple of other passengers between you. That way your buddy can keep an eye on your stuff as you receive your groping pat-down and vice versa.
4. Skip the bins. Having your jewelry, watch, purse, wallet, keys, etc... out in the open while you are occupied with your pat-down is an open invitation to thieves. Stow those items in your carry-on before you get in the security check line.
5. Lock your bags with TSA-approved luggage locks or locking straps. This won't do squat to keep sticky fingered TSA agents from stealing your stuff, but it will help to deter other thieves by making your luggage more difficult to access.
6. Use colorful baggage. Thieves want to get your stuff and get away as unobtrusively as possible. They won't want to be toting that pink and purple flowered dufflebag through the airport.
7. Double check your carry-on. Once you are done with your screening, check your carry-on to make sure that everything you had in there before the screening is still there.
8. De-plane quickly and skip the potty break. Getting to baggage claim quickly means that you'll be there when your luggage rolls off the belt and thieves won't have the opportunity to swipe your bags while you aren't looking.

So there you have it. At least now you'll arrive at your destination with your belongings, if not your dignity and personal space, intact.

[TSA-Watch]

Nothing is going to eliminate TSA theft altogether, but being pro-active about protecting your stuff will help minimize the chances of *your* stuff being targeted.

[saganite]

Top 20 airports for TSA theft. No surprises here.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/top-20-airports-tsa-theft/t/story?id=17537887

[Gaffer]

1. Valuables....well, no...but you can pack a pair or three of skidmarked drawers right there at the top so they’ll see if when they open it. Had a buddy that did this for years.

2. Forget the photographing stuff. The baggage handlers and screeners would likely just use the photos to post on E-Bay when they sell your crap.

3. Buddy system....yeah....possibility though if one of the TSA Sherlocks spots those knowing glances betwixt the two of you, they’ll think something’s afoot!

4. Skip the bins....belts? shoes? overcoat? Jacket?

5. Lock your bags....hell, they’ll just break the locks and steal what you have if they see something nice on the X-Ray..

6. Colorful baggage...I suggest rainbow colored. Add a Gerbil catalog inside for good measure.

7. Double check carry-on.....don’t worry, TSA will do that for you and surreptitiously remove anything of value if they can get away with it.

8. De-plane quick - no potty break.....well, I can tell you aren’t an old man....

[sauropod]

read

[momtothree]

As for your first suggestion... I know someone who does that as well. Leaves visibly dirty underwear right on top. He’s never had a thing stolen.

[2banana]

8 Tips to Keep the TSA from Stealing Your Stuff

1. Don't fly

2. If you do, never take ANYTHING of value

3. The TSA are government union goons - nuff said

[larryjohnson]

What prompted you to register at FR? last month.
Were you prev a FReeper?I looked at your bio-nada- nnd recent forum comments and only found someone who objects to your blog. I cannot get to blogs on webtv so your info here is helpful.
I had my swissarmyknife stolen from my checkin,the outside pocket it was in was ripped off! I never reported it.

[kidd]

As a former airport security agent, I can say that the only suggestion here that is worth anything is the first one.

[vet7279]

Have not flown since the beginning of TSA and have no intention to in the future. I drive....

[WildHighlander57]

2banana, tsa watch,

I haven’t flown since the “enhanced patdowns” started.

I take the train or drive.

Nobody is gonna touch me where only my spouse is allowed to touch, and nobody is gonna scan me to see only what my spouse is allowed to see.

Enough is enough.

If somebody absolutely MUST fly, I would recommend they send their luggage ahead of time by fedex so it gets there the same day they do.

[stuartcr]

I fly through Dulles and Atlanta about6-8 times a year, and I’ve never had anything stolen.

[COBOL2Java]

Have not flown since the beginning of TSA and have no intention to in the future. I drive....

Just wait until Big Sis initiates TSA checkpoints at bridges, tunnels, off-ramps, etc...

[cornfedcowboy]

It is not the TSA that is stealing your stuff(except maybe your innocence). It is the aiine baggage handlers. Big difference.

[Hardraade]

Suggestion: Take your blog “about” block and just copy to your profile page.

[Travis McGee]

I’ll drive a thousand miles before I’ll fly.

[Average Al]

My thought exactly. For the airline 25.00 charge each way you should be able to send quite a bit. Perhaps even buy everything you need.

[MissMagnolia]

There were some links previously posted (I don't have it bookmarked) to a really good actual video on how to handle the DHS checkpoints that are 40 miles or so inside the border .... Americans being stopped for no reason. The primary phrases used:

No thank you (when asked to pull over to a separate area for 'search', etc)
Am I being detained? (probably the main thing to say, over & over)
Am I free to go?
No, I am not getting out of my car. What is your probable cause? Do you have a warrant?
No, it is not a law that I have to stop filming/get out of my car, etc.

Every time, the DHS agents ended up letting the driver proceed, but it took time, persistence, and the driver staying calm & mostly saying "am I being detained?" and "am I free to go?" Very interesting watching DHS squirm & try to bullsh*t/intimidate drivers into compliance/giving up their rights.

[hal ogen]

Resist...resist...resist. Don’t give an inch to these Nazis.

[PapaBear3625]

3. Buddy system....yeah....possibility though if one of the TSA Sherlocks spots those knowing glances betwixt the two of you, they’ll think something’s afoot!

When I fly with my family, I make sure to go through first. My wife doesn't put our carry on bags on the conveyor until I'm through and waiting for our stuff on the other side. It's not just TSA: regular passengers can grab carry on bags if you're detained and not looking at them.

[Gaffer]

Smart....