Should LAX passengers pack valuables in their suitcases?

For those traveling through LAX airport – or any other airport for that matter – it can be difficult to determine what you should pack into your hand luggage and what you should pack in your suitcase for checked luggage. Many people end up putting valuable items, including cash, in their checked luggage, but some officials are now warning against this in light of recent thefts.

According to reports two U.S. Transportation Security Administration officers have been arrested in the past two months for stealing from LAX passengers’ suitcases. This reinforces the need for travelers to ensure that they are using high quality, strong padlocks on their luggage so that they cannot be opened without the traveler present. Travelers should also avoid putting valuables in their suitcases.

While these thefts by airport security staff are said to be rare it is important to remember that the luggage is handled by a number of people and therefore needs to be secure. One TSA officer was found to have stolen tens of thousands of dollars worth of valuables from suitcases.

While the number of thefts is small compared to the huge number of suitcases that pass through the airport, the two recent cases have highlighted the need for passengers to be careful. TSA spokesperson Nico Melendez said: “We’ve had reports of computers, cash, watches being stolen. If you are traveling with valuables, put them in your carry-on or Fed-Ex them to your destination.”