HELP! Baggage tampered with and items missing!

qy206

I took an indirect flight from Asia via Copenhagen back to London Heathrow on Sunday 7th October. When I landed, I was told that my suitcase hadn't landed with me. The woman at the help desk said that she couldn't locate it on her system but that most likely, the suitcase hadn't been transferred onto my connecting flight and would arrive the following morning. Sure enough, I got my suitcase yesterday but the zip at the side had already been opened. My suitcase had a lock on the zips so that it couldn't be opened but obviously it is very easy for anyone to just open a zip with a pen or any similar sharp object.

When I opened the suitcase I found that 2 pens I had been given as gifts while I was away had both been taken. Both pens were still in their original boxes. The value of both of them is almost £1k.

My travel insurance only covers loss of items up to £150. I was just wondering whether this had happened to anyone else and whether anyone had had any success retrieving their stolen items back?

I am desperately upset about losing the pens, not only because of the monetary value but also because they were special gifts. I am on a hunt for the most secure suitcase money can buy at the moment! But in the meantime, if anyone has any tips or advice, it would be much appreciated!

jpsartre

qy206 wrote: »

I am on a hunt for the most secure suitcase money can buy at the moment!

I personally wouldn't bother. Much better idea would be to simply not put valuables in your checked luggage in the future.

I'm sorry for being pessimistic but I'd say the chances of seeing your pens again are close to zero.

malkie76

Very sorry, but sadly you won't be getting them back. The real learning here is never to put items of value in your checked luggage.

File a police report, and report to the airline in question. You'll need the case number for your insurance but check small print to be sure it covers checked luggage.

Similarly contact your home contents insurance just in case they cover this.

There's no such thing as a secure case - hard ones are better than soft, and ones without zips are best. However locks can easily be opened with master keys that security at airports have.

qy206

Thanks for replies. This has definitely been a lesson learned. Is this a relatively common thing to happen? I am quite shocked...

Loanranger

Name and shame please... which airlines were involved in this theft?

jpsartre

Loanranger wrote: »

Name and shame please... which airlines were involved in this theft?

It's fairly unlikely that the thief is an airline employee. It'd probably be more relevant to know the airports involved.

Pollycat

Loanranger wrote: »

Name and shame please... which airlines were involved in this theft?

If you want to know which airlines, I think you should also ask which airports the OP travelled through as baggage handlers aren't employed by specific airlines.

qy206

I flew SAS into LHR via Copenhagen. It most likely happened in CPH. I am yet to call the airline but will update everyone on what they say. I am still very shocked to say the least...

Incapuppy

qy206 wrote: »

Thanks for replies. This has definitely been a lesson learned. Is this a relatively common thing to happen? I am quite shocked...

Yes, a lesson learned the hard way - sadly for you.

I honestly cannot understand why anyone would put such valuable items in hold luggage. Aside from the tampering issue did it not occur to you that the case could have been lost?

fifeken

qy206 wrote: »

I flew SAS into LHR via Copenhagen. It most likely happened in CPH. I am yet to call the airline but will update everyone on what they say. I am still very shocked to say the least...

Why do you think CPH rather than your origin or LHR?

dickydonkin

As for not putting 'items of value' in your suitcase, many of us will have expensive items of clothing that probably would be worth more than a camera or ipod etc.

That said, I accept that the latter items are more desirable and easier to conceal than clothing.

There is no sure fire way of securing your cases, I try to make sure that my suitcases would be more 'inconvenient' to tamper with.

I have hard shell lockable Samsonite cases that have served me so well over the years.

I also fasten a lockable luggage belt around them and I also secure a cable tie through the case locking mechanism.

I appreciate that all of these 'precautions' can be easily defeated by a determined thief - but the time and effort needed to do that would hopefully dissuade him/her from selecting my luggage in the first place.