Stay Vigilant While Traveling: How to Protect Your Luggage from Tampering

By Ivan PetrenkoSep 8, 2024 19:30 PMNews
Share:
A blue ballpoint pen on a white surface
An ordinary pen can be used to breach luggage security. Source: pixabay

Many travelers rely on locks and special combinations on their suitcases, believing they provide adequate security. However, there is a method that has been around for years, allowing a suitcase zipper to be breached using an ordinary pen. This technique enables wrongdoers to access the contents of the luggage easily, leaving both the lock and zipper seemingly untouched.

The breach technique involves using a pen to open the zipper. This method renders many standard locks, which are attached to zippers, ineffective since they don't provide sufficient protection. A simple pen can separate the zipper teeth, allowing the suitcase to be opened, and then by running the lock back over the zipper, the wrongdoer can close it without leaving any signs of tampering.

How to Protect Your Luggage

To safeguard your luggage while traveling, especially during holiday seasons, it is recommended to choose suitcases with extra layers of protection. The best option is zippers with protective covers, adding a barrier that prevents unauthorized access with a pen. This design makes it significantly harder to reach the contents of your luggage and serves as an extra security measure. You should also consider luggage with built-in locks and reinforced zippers, which are more difficult to tamper with using simple tools.

The Importance of Awareness

Modern travelers need to be aware of such risks. Unawareness of these techniques can lead to the loss of valuable items or important information, especially if your luggage contains electronics or documents. To avoid unpleasant surprises, it’s crucial to select luggage with higher security features and stay vigilant when checking your belongings into luggage compartments.

Top Articles
Top 10 reasons for flight cancelation by airlines: a clear algorithm of actions to get compensation

Top 10 reasons for flight cancelation by airlines: a clear algorithm of actions to get compensation

Oct 16, 2025 16:22 PM
Smartphone with eSIM logo surrounded by travel essentials like flowers, map, camera, and sunglasses

Where to Buy eSIM at the Best Price: A Full Review of Tariffs and Options

Aug 8, 2025 10:54 AM

No More SIM Swaps: The eSIM Travel Solution You’ll Actually Use

Aug 4, 2025 16:51 PM

Not Just a Suitcase: My Personal Checklist for Smart Travelers in 2025

Mar 3, 2025 18:00 PM
More News
Black and white close-up of a damaged miniature railway track with bent rails and scattered debris

Two High-Speed Trains Collide in Spain: Death Toll Rises to 69

Oct 29, 2026 18:38 PM
Water taxi passing St. Mark’s Campanile along the waterfront in Venice, Italy

Venice May Raise Tourist Entry Fee to €30, While Rome Rejects Similar Plans

Oct 29, 2026 17:34 PM

Would You Drop a Friend From Your 2027 Holiday?

Oct 29, 2026 13:49 PM

TAP’s New Brazil Flight Brings Giant Dunes Closer

Oct 29, 2026 00:16 AM
Jet2 aircraft taking off above the sea

Jet2 Turns a 189-Seat Plane Into a VIP Jet

Oct 29, 2026 00:03 AM
easyJet passenger aircraft taking off above the sea

easyJet Opens Summer 2028 Holidays with £60pp Deposits

Oct 28, 2026 23:58 PM
Aerial view of Arch 22 and surrounding streets in Banjul, The Gambia

TUI’s Gambia Flight Boost Opens Up Longer Holidays

Oct 28, 2026 23:45 PM
Visitor viewing framed paintings in an art gallery

Barnsley to Host National Gallery Portrait This Autumn

Oct 28, 2026 08:02 AM
Set tables and indoor plants at Brasserie Sophie in Vienna

Phuket’s Dara Cuisine Opens a Temporary Kitchen in Vienna

Oct 28, 2026 07:07 AM

New Reykjavik Hotel Planned for Late 2027

Oct 28, 2026 05:34 AM

Thompson Rome Opens Near the City’s Historic Landmarks

Oct 28, 2026 05:11 AM
Eurowings passenger aircraft on the ground at an airport

Eurowings’ Five New Routes Open Up More European City Breaks in 2027

Oct 28, 2026 03:59 AM
Charles Bridge spanning the Vltava River in Prague with historic towers in the background

Hamburg’s New Prague and Seville Flights Have a Weekend Twist

Oct 28, 2026 03:46 AM
Aerial rendering of Alovera Beach showing the artificial lagoon, sandy shores and parking areas

Spain’s Giant Beach Without a Sea Finally Breaks Ground

Oct 28, 2026 03:33 AM
Woman raising her fist during a street protest

Spain and Italy Strikes Could Hit Half-Term Travel Plans

Oct 28, 2026 00:28 AM

Lisbon’s Luxury Hotel Has a Graffiti Surprise

Oct 28, 2026 00:15 AM

easyJet Adds Luton Flights as Berlin Returns to Ljubljana

Oct 28, 2026 00:02 AM
Construction worker pouring concrete beside railway tracks

Birmingham Christmas Rail Closure to Disrupt Festive Journeys

Oct 27, 2026 22:27 PM
Visitors walking past illuminated Rock Icons displays at Milan Malpensa Airport

Malpensa Airport Has a Free Rock Gallery Before Security

Oct 27, 2026 19:44 PM
British Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying against a cloudy sky

British Airways Adds Melbourne as Winter Routes Shift

Oct 27, 2026 18:41 PM
Snow-covered rooftops of Innsbruck beneath the Austrian Alps

East Midlands Gets a New Flight to Austria’s Ski Slopes

Oct 27, 2026 18:39 PM
Finnair Airbus A350 aircraft in flight with landing gear extended

Finnair’s First Australia Flights Include a Bangkok Security Check

Oct 27, 2026 18:26 PM

Budapest Adds Red Sea Flights and Four UK Routes

Oct 27, 2026 02:23 AM

easyJet Brings Edinburgh Flights to London Southend

Oct 27, 2026 02:18 AM
TUI river cruise ship sailing along a river

TUI Launches £2,299 Cruise for Hungarian Grand Prix

Oct 27, 2026 01:05 AM
Exterior of Kingston Bridge House in Hampton Wick

London’s Next Hotel Indigo Was Once Student Housing

Oct 27, 2026 00:52 AM