Keep yourself and your belongings safe

Here are a few suggestions for protecting yourself - and your belongings when travelling.

Written by Kevin Coffey, a police detective who specializes in crimes against travellers and founder of Corporate Travel Safety.

Before you go

Gather your vital stats:...Before you go, create three identical travel packets of emergency information. Tape one packet to the inside of your luggage, give one to a relative and tuck one away in your desk at work. Should you need the information, you'll probably have access to at least one of these packets. Each packet should include:

• A photocopy of your entire passport... (front, back and inside pages)



• Copies of your passport photo... (in case you're in a place where you can't get one)



• Copies of the front and back of any credit cards... On the photocopies, obliterate the credit card expiration date as well as the last three numbers of your card. Pencil in a "hint" to remind yourself what those numbers are (for example, the last three digits 123, might remind you of your "brother's birthday, Dec. 3.") The photocopy of the back of your credit card will give you the number to call should you lose your card.



• Copies of your vision prescription... Should you lose your glasses or contacts, you can replace them quickly from almost anywhere in the world, thanks to overnight delivery.



• Copies of medication prescriptions...Not only can you get refills but also having your prescription may be essential when explaining questionable medication to customs officials. You should also always keep medicines in their original containers, which offer information about the medication.



• Your medical insurance details... including telephone and account numbers. Check with your insurance carrier about your coverage before travelling anywhere. Depending on the type of travel (i.e., adventure travel), you might need to purchase some ancillary coverage.

Mark your territory:... Write, type, tape or somehow affix your name and contact information to the inside of your luggage as well as the outside. If your baggage tag gets ripped off your suitcase handle, the airline will still be able to reunite you with your long-lost luggage.

Wrap it, strap it, lock it:... Luggage locks are made to keep honest people honest, rather than to keep real crooks out, says Coffey. There are only three or four keys for each manufacturer's full line of luggage and every airline has a set of those keys, so don't think someone can't get into your bag within 30 seconds if they're so inclined. That said, a lock or belly band may keep some thieves out or at least slow them down just enough to give up. In addition, shrink-wrapping your bags can further deter thieves or make their crimes more detectable (it's hard not to notice that missing shrink-wrap when you pull your bag off the carousel.)

Strip your wallet:... Before you leave, make sure you remove everything from your wallet except those cards that you absolutely need — your medical insurance cards, a driver's license and one or two credit cards.

On your way:... Believe it or not, the risk of being victimized is greatest during the time you're actually travelling to your destination. While you're en route to or at the airport, you're more than likely to be frazzled, preoccupied and extremely vulnerable to crime, says Coffey. Keep in mind that thieves like to create distractions — like a staged accident or supposed tourist asking for directions — to make it easier for them or an accomplice to take your belongings. The key is to pay attention to your surroundings, be on the alert for trickery and follow some simple precautions:
Keep your bags in front of you. This may sound obvious, but keeping your bags in front of you means keeping your bags right in front of you. In other words, don't load all of your belongings onto a rental cart and lug them behind you.

Watch your bags depart:... Especially if you're using curbside check-in or a porter, make sure that your luggage actually goes into the bag belt system and doesn't sit on the luggage cart unattended. At your hotel, keep all valuables (like carry-on bags or a laptop) with you rather than giving them to the porter to take to your room. Even in the best hotels, porters can be distracted and your bag stolen.

Keep your eyes open at screening stations... About the same time that business travellers began carrying laptops, thieves began targeting them. How it works: At X-ray machines a thief intentionally sets off the metal detector and causes the line to back up. He goes through the machine several times to ensure an added delay. Meanwhile the person behind him waits patiently while his or her laptop cruises through the X-ray machine and is nonchalantly picked up by the thief's accomplice at the other end. Use of the scam has become less frequent as word has gotten out, but it hasn't died out entirely.

Be alert in waiting areas:... Thieves lurk most frequently in restaurants, bars, telephones and bathrooms in terminal waiting areas. They know travellers have all or most of their valuable possessions in their carry-on bag or their pockets. Be alert and keep everything in front of you.

Be alert in tourist areas:...Once you've arrived at your hotel or destination, your chances of being victimized decrease, but they don't go away entirely. Most pickpocket incidents or money-changing scams happen in crowded tourist destinations or locations — bus stops, subways, major street corners or escalators — so be particularly alert in these places. Incidentally, while they are not common, in some destinations there is a greater risk of terrorist attacks in crowded public places.

Beware of the bum bag:... Bum bags keep your valuables in front of you, but they're also pretty easy for anyone with a pair of sharp scissors or a knife to remove. Especially in crowds, you may be bumped from behind and not even realize that you've been parted from your pack. Solutions exist, however. There are bum bags available with a lightweight metal band wound through the strap to stop would-be thieves from cutting it, and a secured pouch that can't be easily opened with one hand.

If you're carrying a purse or backpack, it's best to wear your bag slung across your body and in front of you. In particular, women should avoid walking next to the street with their purse hanging on one shoulder. Moped-riding thieves have been known to cruise up, snip — or worse, snap the purse strap and speed away, with purse in hand.

Don't leave valuables in a car:... Many insurance companies don't cover theft of items left in cars; if you're using a valet service, or leaving a car in a visible area, take all valuables with you.