US Authorities are warning travelers to keep an eye on their bags as people begin traveling in airports again. Video from Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport shows one man walking up to a conveyor belt, grabbing two suitcases, and then taking off.
Authorities say bag theft is on the rise, increasing with the surge in travel. Employees at airports have begun reminding passengers to get their bags as quickly as possible. Traveler Joe Beaugh says he makes sure to quickly pick up his bags each time he and his family travel, and even after hustling there, he says he’s still keeping a watchful eye.
“There’s a lot of bags I saw that were still on the carousel that people were quite delayed getting their bags and I was wondering, is that really their bags they’re getting or somebody else’s,” said Beaugh. According to the Department of Transportation, luggage theft is a common problem.
U.S. airlines reported more than three mishandled bags for every thousand in March. More than 1 million bags were stolen in 2018. It resulted in $1.2 billion in missing valuables.
“When you get off the plane, go directly to baggage claim, pick up your bags, don’t delay on that, make sure to get there as quickly as you can,” said an Atlanta Police officer asked about the problem.
Some third party businesses are stepping in to help prevent thefts. Grab My Bag is a service that will deliver your luggage to you at any location you choose. Employees communicate with you directly throughout the pick-up process. They’ll even send you pictures along the way. “You can know that someone is on the job for you, right. You don’t have to worry about the bag getting lost, hopefully it won’t get stolen but if it got stolen we work with the airlines directly,” said CEO Emory Reignz. The other option is getting travel insurance which will provide reimbursements in the event of a stolen or damaged bag.
