Robert Siciliano had an “aha” moment about how to protect his valuables when he was standing at the TSA screening area in Boston recently.
“There was a big fat, well-worn men’s wallet in one of the dog bowls,” he recalls.
Siciliano, a safety expert, turned to the passengers around him and asked if the wallet belonged to them. They shook their heads. He asked one of the TSA agents, who just shrugged.
“The agent looked at it, opened it up, looked at the driver’s license, and put it right back,” he says. “And he did nothing.”
At that moment it occurred to Siciliano that safety at the security screening area was a real problem.
“If I was a thief, I could’ve easily owned it — and nobody at all would’ve noticed,” he says.
Want to protect your valuables? It’s easier said than done
Air travelers often forget their personal belongings and money at the screening areas when they travel. The TSA reported that passengers left about $1 million in change last year. Travelers lose between 90,000 to 100,000 items at airport checkpoints each month, according to the TSA.
“With the increase in air travel and the sometimes hurried or stressful nature of security screening, travelers might be less attentive,” notes Raymond Yorke, a spokesman for Redpoint Travel Protection. “That leads to more frequent misplacement of items. As more travelers pass through security due to record numbers of people flying, the sheer volume of passengers increases the risk of lost items.”
While it’s difficult to tell if the problem is getting worse over time, it’s definitely true that more people are complaining about it.
You won’t believe what people leave on the conveyor belt
In our hurry to catch the plane — or maybe just to get through our security screening — travelers leave so much behind. Security screeners have found everything on the conveyor belt from ceremonial scissors to antique cannonballs to live eels. (Sometimes, they also help themselves to your valuables, as they allegedly did recently in Miami.)
I’ve forgotten some more conventional items, including my ID, my belt and an iPad. I made a beeline back to security for the tablet and driver’s license but didn’t notice the absence of my belt until I was on the plane. Oh well. So it’s no wonder that people are worried about their valuables.
“Do you have any suggestions on how to protect valuables from the TSA scanners when they have to be in the bin?” wonders Gerardine D’sa, a retired management consultant from Willow Springs, Ill.
As a matter of fact, yes.
Prepare for the scanner
“Place loose items inside your carry-on rather than leaving them unsecured in the tray,” says Shaun Boulter, global head of operations and security at AXA Partners. “That could easily attract opportunistic thieves.” In other words, keys, wallets, purses — anything that doesn’t have to be scanned separately — should be packed in your carry-on and sent through the X-ray.
Organize your valuables
“Instead of dumping your expensive phone, tablet, sunglasses and watch as loose items in the bin at security, use a Ziploc bag or packing cube to neatly keep your items together,” advises Dean Van Es, CEO of Fast Cover Travel Insurance. “Not only will this provide another layer of security, but it’s much easier to keep track of your items so nothing gets left behind.” (Here’s how to protect yourself from pickpockets.)
Track your stuff
“During the screening process, it’s crucial to watch your belongings with utmost vigilance as they transition through the various screening stages,” says Susan Sherren, who runs Couture Trips. She likes keeping the target small by putting as many loose items as possible in mesh packing cubes so they are slightly obscured. “Be prepared and have a plan to streamline your roll through security,” she adds.
Wait for it
Don’t rush through your screening, and continue to keep your eyes on your things. “Only pass through the screening once your valuables enter the X-ray machine,” advises Frank Harrison, the regional security director of the Americas for World Travel Protection. “I try to keep my eyes on the bin as much as possible until my valuables are back in my hands.”
Beware of the bin ad
“Pay special attention when there are ads on the bottom of the bin,” advises Jeremy Murchland, president of Seven Corners Travel Insurance. “The stickers make it less obvious when a small item like your cellphone has been left.”
Sign up for PreCheck or Global Entry
The TSA’s trusted traveler programs allow you to avoid a lot of the hassle — and potential loss. For example, you may avoid having to remove your laptop or shoes. “There’s just too much that can go wrong when you don’t have PreCheck,” says Siciliano, who runs a security consulting firm. “You get the benefits of consolidating everything in your bags without having to take them out and display them in the bins or the dog bowls.”
Want to protect your valuables? Leave ’em home
That’s what Donna Shelton, a well-traveled banker from Chicago, does. “For me, the approach has been to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables in the first place,” she told me. “The good jewelry stays home. The electronics are the minimum needed for the trip.”
What about that wallet in Boston?
So what ever happened to the missing wallet that Siciliano saw at the airport screening area? He says he had a plane to catch, so he moved on and let the TSA take care of it.
Chances are, the owner showed up and claimed the wallet. But if he didn’t, the security screeners probably cataloged it and sent it to lost and found.
That’s not where you want your wallet, purse or phone to end up the next time you fly. So remember to keep as many of your valuables as you can out of the TSA dog bowls.
But if you do, track it like a laser-guided missile. Because someone else might be, too.
