We love to travel, but let’s be honest. Getting on a plane is almost one of our worst nightmares, not because we’re afraid of flying, but because of the boarding process. Now, experts from Portable Professional (Travel Tips with Megan), a famous YouTube travel channel, have warned about what is the most vulnerable spot in U.S. airports. The irony? The place where most thefts happen is… the place where you’re most watched.
In her latest video, Megan explained that the moment when passengers take off their shoes, empty their pockets, and place their personal items on the trays is the perfect moment for thieves, who take advantage of that chaos to steal travellers’ belongings… had you noticed this?
How?
Once you get to the airport and have checked your luggage, you go to the security checkpoint, right? On this conveyor belt, you normally have to leave your carry-on, your electronic devices, and sometimes even your shoes. Well, sneaky thieves have seen a niche here and carry out two pretty common techniques:
- The team theft: maybe the oldest method of stealing, Megan explains that this type of theft consists of one thief going through the scanner ahead of you, while their accomplice causes a distraction that delays the line, just as your belongings are already on the belt. That moment is pure chaos, the first thief takes advantage and grabs any valuables they can find in the trays (watches, wallets, tablets…) while you’re not paying attention to your belongings.
- The second is the most common: the thief passes through the scanner in front of you and simply grabs items from your tray and puts them in their bag or backpack. Easy and simple, they hide the stolen item without raising anyone’s suspicions, especially because the scanners are usually crowded.
What tips do they give us to avoid theft?
Very easy: keep all your personal items inside your carry-on instead of placing them loose on the trays. It’s true that some airports require you to take them out, so our recommendation is to first place the luggage and then the tray where your valuables will go.
Sometimes it’s impossible to reduce the number of valuable items, so we suggest you make a checklist as soon as you pick up your tray from the scanner and check all your belongings thoroughly. Store them as quickly as you can, and most importantly, don’t stand too close to anyone when you’re putting your shoes back on. The less commotion around you, the less likely you are to become a victim of theft.
But… isn’t that the most guarded area of the airport?
It might be, and the truth is that it sounds contradictory, but at the checkpoints, the security service doesn’t deter thieves, on the contrary, they know that the chaos and pressure of the environment work in their favour.
Most passengers are focused on the instructions, rushing so they don’t miss their flight or so they don’t “beep” in the scanner… and of course, chaos is imminent, perfect for someone looking to do something shady.
And if I get robbed, what should I do?
If you realize you’ve been robbed right after the checkpoint, notify airport staff or local police immediately. These areas are usually monitored by security cameras, and they’ll be able to quickly identify the person responsible (because they won’t be able to leave the area until they board a flight), so you can recover your stolen belongings.
So, don’t let your guard down when going through security, because there are plenty of sneaky hands waiting to get a hold of things that don’t belong to them. Have a nice trip!