travelinggirls

I read a brief article today about a TSA worker at
Newark airport who was arrested for stealing valuables out of luggage.  At the time he was arrested, he had stolen over $200,000 worth of goods.  The majority of items that he took were laptops and cameras.  When the police searched his home, they found sixty-six cameras, thirty-one laptops and assorted jewelry and other items.  He only got caught after trying to sell a camera on eBay.  Unfortunately for him, the camera belonged to CNN. 

Now the story goes on about how he was caught and it’s pretty interesting reading but it doesn’t have anything to do with you as a traveler so I’ll move on.  

Here is a question for you. . . Do you carry your valuables with you or put them in your checked bags?  All of the items that were stolen were from checked luggage.  That’s scary.  We can’t lock our luggage anymore so we have absolutely no control over what happens to our things. 

I know when I travel my camera (cheap one that it is) travels with me in my purse.  If I bring my laptop, that becomes my purse.  I carry them with me and keep them in sight at all times.  I don’t have expensive jewelry but even my “fashion” jewelry is carried with me in my purse.  I have to wonder why the victims of the robberies didn’t have their expensive things with them. 

I can understand the heavy equipment, like the CNN camera.  You wouldn’t want to stuff that in an overhead bin, but if the victims were just “regular” travelers, with normal equipment, why wouldn’t they keep them safe?  Just something to think about.  What do you do?