PHOENIX - Two people suspected of stealing up to 1,000 pieces of luggage from baggage claim carousels at Phoenix’s airport have been arrested by police who found heaps of the stolen bags strewn throughout their home.
What is the use of that. Stupid, pitiful people. 
Ya know, i’m surprised this isn’t happening more often, Im sure it does happen enough but we dont hear about it. Pisses me off too. Losing luggage is a huge reason i hate flying commercial, and thankfully i dont have to. Ive had luggage lost but always recovered. I would be furious if my bags never turned up. I guess this is why at ATL they check the name on the claim check.
I would think that it’s more of a voyeurism thing than anything monetary. And I’ve often wondered how easy it would be to just grab a bag and walk out the door. Now I know - it’s way too easy. Too bad they didn’t stumble on some bag from a guy smuggling cobra’s or something into the US.
People I have to tell you… it was or is waaay to easy to snatch stuff.
I was doing a two yr stint as a hometown recruiter with the Navy in MIA back in 84. Stayed with my parents and getting my PPL at HWO. Word got out that PAN AM was going on strike. And some company was looking for baggage handlers to fill these positions while the strike continued. My buddy thought it was a great way to make some extra cash by working as a “scab” for Pan Am on the eve shift. And away we went, it lasted about three weeks if I remember. I remember getting into a baggage compartment and loading bags inside a 727. Baggage was a joke. The crap that would fallout of some of those bags was surprising. And the temptation was definitely there. But being we were military working parttime we didnt wanna take chances. The Navy would’ve hung us out to dry after the civilian courts had thier turn. So it doesnt surprise me. As a matter of fact…didnt a story break out this year about some baggage theft ring that was busted in LGA?
Oh my point…lock your stuff…tighter than a frogs ass…WATERTIGHT!!! 
NEVER put anything in your luggage or check something you wouldn’t want to lose. I know exceptions have to be made, but don’t be surprised when things not under your control go awry.
Puts me in mind of the fellow that wrote the song about the airline busting his checked guitar. Well… DUH!
I hate checking baggage. Not just because of the theft or loss possibilities but also because I hate waiting for the luggage to appear in the claim area. I also don’t like waiting in the line to check it in.
That said, I do believe the amount of luggage lost is actually very small considering the number of pieces that are carried. I also have the feeling that the amount of luggage actually stolen is extremely small.
I’ve probably flown 150 legs on scheduled airlines and have only had two problems. One was a weather delay which caused crew hour problems and we had to wait for a new crew AND another plane (fresh crew wasn’t rated for our original plane). Luggage wasn’t transferred to the new plane and I got my bag the next day. The only other problem I had was stolen cartons of cigarettes and a bottle of perfume on a vacation charter flight out of Cancun. I suspect that we checked in a little too early and allowed the mexican handlers to spend too much time with our bags.
That’s odd, would never suspect that would happen in such a law abiding country as Mexico. Very odd.
Damn deef beat me to it 
Yeah, Jim’s pretty fast on the old keyboard.
You’re only half-fast! 
It is quite amazing the baggage system works as well as it does. World-wide millions of bags are handled everyday, and stats show about 1% get lost. Even then, most lost bags will show up late but intact. Very few completely disappear. Most of the thefts I have heard about actually don’t involve the handlers but random people who hang out in the claim area and just grab a bag and leave. It isn’t like you have to use a claim tag to get a bag off of the carousel.
Perhaps I should clarify it was mexican BAGGAGE handlers. I didn’t mean to imply that the people that were hired to handle the mexicans stole my stuff.
Use of TSA locks is futile as anyone can obtain/make master keys for every TSA approved lock. When I travel with items of sensitive nature or prohibited carry on items I use a widely unused TSA approved rule which you can find info on here. Some claim this makes your luggage a higher risk for theft which is possible as I personally use steel ammo cases and use high grade locks i.e. Abloy & ABUS but 27 CFR 478.31 helps with anonymity so your luggage is not singled out by minimum wage bag handlers. Airline policies vary so check with yours before declaring such items at a busy check in counter and be sure to insure the items appropriately.
If I have high value stuff I need that I can’t bring in a carry-on, I often Fedex my stuff ahead of time. With the new checked bag fees airlines have, sometimes its cheaper as well.
Phoenix here, and no i didn’t touch anybody’s luggage. But yes you can just walk up and help yourself to others luggage, and there is only someone there to answer questions, but not to detour theft.
my ultimate job would be to catch people doing insurance fraud, add to that now id like to put gps trackers in luggage and let people steal them and bust them red handed. it wouldnt be that hard.
Same here in ATL … scandalously so. I see TV news reports every now and then about some doofus caught stealing bags off the carousel.