Nothing ruins a post-vacation high more than realizing someone has broken into your luggage and stolen all the trinkets and souvenirs you picked up along the way. For this exact reason, many travelers invest in suitcases with built-in locks out of precaution. However, not even an intricate combination code can put a stop to this luggage security hack.
A cheap ballpoint pen is all a thief needs to hack into your suitcase, according to a TSA agent. And it doesn’t matter if your luggage has state-of-the-art locks, either. As long as the zipper and track are exposed—meaning, there’s no flap or cover over the teeth and actual zipper—then your suitcase is just as easy to break into as one without locking mechanisms.
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How Bad Actors Can Open Your Luggage, According to a TSA Agent
In a new viral TikTok video, the security agent effortlessly demonstrated how anyone can break into a closed suitcase.
“A lot of people I see travel with locks on their suitcases [with] special combinations, but with just a pen, you are actually able to breach a suitcase’s security,” he said.
The camera is focused on a medium-sized suitcase that’s zipped shut. With an uncapped pen, he steadily traces it along the track until he eventually punctures through the closed teeth. Now that the seal has been breached, he can continue to wedge the pen’s tip along the entire track.
“A pen-to-the-zipper technique has been around for tons of years…I’m going to go all the way around—and watch this,” he told followers.
He then ditches the pen and without touching the actual zippers (which are in their same original position), he claws the suitcase wide open.
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Breaking In Can Take Less Than 60 Seconds
“This once zipped-up bag was opened with just a pen,” the agent quipped. What’s more, he did it in less than 60 seconds.
Since posting, the TikTok video has garnered over 12.1 million views.
What does this mean for air travel, if even your locked suitcases are liable to break ins? Your best bet is to invest in zipperless luggage or bags with concealed zippers, said the TSA agent.
“The best kinds of zippers have covers over them. That’s an extra, added layer of security for your luggage when you’re traveling for the holidays or for any occasion that might be coming up,” he advised.
Yet, a majority of travelers are fine taking the risk. A survey commissioned by Travel Sentry, a brand that makes TSA-approved locks found on Tumi and Away luggage, revealed that only 40 percent of Americans use secured suitcases, per The Wall Street Journal.
One reason? Many travelers see locks as a hassle.
“Luggage locks are like computer passwords—more inconvenient for the person they’re protecting than the one trying to break in,” Florida travel agent Gail Klewicki told the outlet. “I want to get where I’m going and just be able to open my bag.”
Of course, the luggage you choose to travel with is up to you. But, there are steps you can take to help make sure your belongings stay safe.
For instance, stow items of value or sentiment in the bag that will go under the seat in front of you so they stay within sight at all times.
Content shared from bestlifeonline.com.