Security

It is said that you should never take anything with you on vacation that you are not prepared to lose.

However, if your possessions are lost or stolen while travelling it can be very inconvenient and annoying, even if you are able to replace them quite easily (often for much less than you originally paid).

There are people out there who prey on tourists and travellers, as there are at home. And just like at home there are simple precautions you can take to prevent yourself becoming a victim of crime or loss.

Most of them don’t cost you anything, they are just habits to get into which after a while should become part of your daily routine so you can stop worrying about them and enjoy your trip.

And anyway, in many countries (and especially outside of the tourist areas), the risk of having something stolen from you isn’t that great. You are more likely to be cheated by unscrupulous sales people, or fall victim to opportunist theft. Wherever you are in the world, even normally honest people be tempted if you leave your valuables lying around.

General

The best way to avoid the attentions of would-be thieves is to look like you have nothing to steal. Walking around with expensive gear and jewellery on show is inviting trouble wherever you go in the world. If you do need to carry it then at least hide it deep in your bag.

For example, nothing says that you have an expensive piece of electronic equipment hidden around your body more than two little white cables dangling from your ears. At the very least you should hang your iPod headphone cables behind your head and run them down your back under your shirt or jacket.

Even better, get some headphones with black cables that go behind your ears and don’t dangle in loops in front. That way, and especially if you have slightly longer hair, you can make it look like you aren’t wearing any at all.

My personal choice is ‘ear-hook’ headphones which I use with my iPod. The best I’ve found are Sennheiser OMX90VC headphones which (under my longish hair) are almost invisible (shown right).

Try to keep both hands free when walking around. If you feel someone searching through your pockets on a train or bus it is a lot easier to stop them if you don’t have your hands full.

Whenever you stand up to get off a bus or train, always turn around to make sure you haven’t left or dropped anything. After a while this becomes a habit.

Always try to keep in contact with your bag and keep it within your sight. Carry it onto the train or bus yourself and keep it on your lap, and try to avoid external luggage racks (on top of buses, for example). If you do have to put it on top then if there are any stops along the way keep your eyes open and make sure nobody touches it.

If you have to take a taxi, make sure the bag goes in the trunk and watch it go in.

If you have to leave your bag anywhere, try to find someone relatively trustworthy to keep an eye on it. If there are a few people in a train carriage, for example, then you can try to make friends with them and hope they will watch your bag (and save your seat for you) if you need to get up and walk around.

Carry your day pack on your chest in crowded places instead of on your back. When in a line or queue, put your bag on the ground in front of you and push it along as you move.

When eating at a cafe or restaurant never put your bag, camera, purse or jacket on the back of the chair, even in places that seem quite ’safe’ or are expensive. Keep it on the chair next to you or between your feet with one strap around your leg or the front leg of the chair.

Luggage

Bags are not very secure. Their portability means that a thief can easily carry them away if you leave them unguarded (they are designed to be carried, after all).

You can buy locks and cables that attach your bag to immovable objects which can prevent this, and you can also lock the zippers together on your bag.

Below is a selection of TSA approved locks. This means that TSA (the U.S. Department of Transportation Security Administration) agents and other airport security personnel can open them to inspect your luggage (using special tools), and then re-lock it for onward travel. You can distinguish TSA locks from regular padlocks by the red and white ‘diamond’ symbol.

The problem is that most travel bags in themselves are not very secure. The locks that come with most bags are very easy to open. Even if they aren’t, most zips are easy to break into.

But even if you have a bag that is locked to a solid object, sporting the best locks and zips, a sharp knife can easily cut through most nylon bags, and even a hard-shelled bag can be forced open.

Day sacks are especially vulnerable, some thieves will slash the bottom of your bag and then just follow you, waiting for everything inside to fall out.

There are solutions to even these problems, but the resulting bag or security measure may be heavy to carry around all day, so a combination of common sense and physical measures to protect your bag may be required.

I use a Pacsafe Stashsafe Hip Pack (shown left) as my personal day pack. It has slash-proof front and bottom panels, a slashproof and lockable belt, lockable zippers, a padded, breathable backing, and can be locked to secure fixtures. You can buy them in the US here.

Be aware that a really determined thief will probably just take your bag from you if given a chance, often with threats. Usually in these cases it is best just to hand it over as everything can be replaced (make sure you have travel insurance, too!)

Theft of luggage from hotels is probably the most common security problem for travellers. So make sure any room that you rent is safe and has a lock, and that you lock it whenever you leave. Also, remember to check that the windows are secure.

Bring your own padlocks to lock doors and windows if you can. Remember that even having a padlock is no guarantee of safety, even the best locks can be picked in a few minutes.

Make doubly sure that your bag is locked (and locked to something) if you have to leave it in your hotel room, even if this is just to deter the casual or opportunist thief.

Another solution (one which I use myself) is a personal travel alarm (shown right). They come in a variety of sizes and produce a deafening 120db-138db alarm that sounds when the pin attached to the cord is removed, and will only stop when it is replaced. It can also be activated by holding a button down.

It can be used as a door security device, or attached to a belt or waist band for personal security, or to a handbag/luggage for protection against theft. If anyone wants one of these very useful devices and can’t find one then email me as they are sometimes quite hard to get hold of.

Money, passports, tickets, etc.

There are a number of ways of carrying your valuables. The worst is probably with them sticking out of your back pocket.

Most travellers use some kind of money belt, each type has its advantages and disadvantages. The standard type wraps around your waist and is designed to be hidden under your clothes. One of the most popular makes is Eagle Creek (shown left). You can also buy these in the UK here.

Whichever you choose, always try to carry it with you all the time and wear it next to your skin under your clothes.

Use it to keep everything hidden and not as a substitute for a purse or wallet. Each morning you should take a small amount of money out of it which you can keep about your person to use for daily expenses.

If you are continually taking money out of and putting it back into your money belt then everyone will see your secret stash. If you have to dip into it during the day then try to do it somewhere away from prying eyes (and fingers).

Use a small purse or money clip in your front pocket for your daily cash. Some people sew zips or attach velcro across the opening of their pockets to stop pickpockets. A lot of travel clothing comes with this feature built in.

I use a WalletSafe (shown right) where I keep my loose change and one credit card for daily use. This attaches to a belt loop and has a snatch-proof, low profile metal chain, with lots of zips to prevent currency from falling out if the wallet is dropped. You can also buy them in the US here.

A standard money belt is a pouch with a belt that goes around your waist and should be worn under your clothes. It may seem to be more convenient if you wear it over your clothes, but this makes it very easy to steal (a quick snip with scissors or a knife on a crowded train).

There are money belts that look like regular belts, but these are not designed for carrying passports or large items, just a few bills and some documents (these have to be folded quite small to fit, however). They are good for emergency cash and for keeping things like contact number lists and traveller’s cheque receipts safe. I use an Eagle Creek all terrain money belt (shown left).

Another popular type is the round-the-neck pouch. These are easier to see and to steal, however, than the round-the-waist type.

One possible problem with money belts is that thieves are well aware that travellers wear them. Casual thieves may be deterred but a determined thief will know exactly where to look if your pockets are empty.

A better solution is a money pouch that hangs inside your trousers from a waist loop. The loops are often colour-coded to match your belt and it can be very difficult to see if you are wearing one. If you keep just your passport, tickets, travellers cheques and some cash in them then they are virtually undetectable under your clothes. Any more than that, though, and they can show a distinct bulge, and wearing them does take some getting used to. My personal choice is the Eagle Creek Hidden Pocket (pictured right). Also available in the UK here.

If you can sew, then you can make your own secret pockets in your jeans, or inside your skirt or trousers.

Another good idea is to make or buy a slash-proof belt (or a slash-proof strap for your camera, phone, etc. (shown left)). These have a flexible steel wire inside and are almost impossible to cut through. You can also buy belts and bags with these straps built in.

At night sleep with your money belt or pouch (or any other valuables) under your pillow or inside the pillowcase (and remember it is there in the morning!), or wear it while you sleep if it is comfortable enough. At the very least hide it deep inside your bag (and lock that to something heavy).