Theft of equipment while travelling?

[boulderjohn]

One often hears advice related to travelling with dive equipment. The two most common are to carry your reglator and/or computer in your carry-on luggage and to avoid any markings on your luggage that announces Scuba Gear Inside.

I am wondering, though, how often theft of dive equipment actually takes place. I had a friend who, for a summer job while in college many years ago, worked with baggage at JFK airport in New York, and he said several baggage handlers had their own little nooks and crannies into which luggage occasionally disappeared. These people would almost certainly not be looking for dive equipment--small, easily fenced items were their specialties--and I wonder if the potential resale value and sheer bulk of a typical BCD (etc.) would make it all that attractive to a potential thief.

So, here's a little poll. Please indicate if you personally have had anything stolen, if you know someone directly--not through someone else--who has had dive equipment stolen, if you have heard second or third hand reports you believe to be true, or if you have no reliable knowledge of dive equipment theft while luggage was in the possession of airlines.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I haven't had dive gear stolen personally but my friends have lost it. They were insured and lost it on the way home.

Let's be honest here, there are a lot of thieves working at airports. I saw some on hidden cam last night on the tube. It happens a lot.

 

[www.scubamazing.com]

hey interesting concept for a poll.

 

[RockyHeap]

Somebody at LAX decided they needed my Nikon 4 meg pixel camera out of my checked bag more than I did.........bastage.......I was on my way to Fiji.......thank goodness I carry a back-up camera and housing, so we still shot 1000 underwater photos with housing/camera number 2.

 

[mikerault]

I can rent regulators and bcds, but my camera gear I carry with me. I have gotten my bag back with the side zipper wide open (you zip right to left, it seals fine, left to right it pops open...go figure?) so the the searchs can be a bit of a worry at times. But I am going to stitch the zipper so it can't be used form the wrong side before the next trip. Nothing has ever disappeared. I wear my Citizen Cyber Aqualand NX and pack the spare Cochran Commander in the bag along with all the other gear. Many, many trips to various places and nothing ever stolen.

Of course this week (non-diving trip) they lost my whole bag...so its off to WalMart to spend their $75 allowance while I wait for them to find it...

 

[tachyon]

I've never flown with dive equipment, since most of my diving has been in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico or inland where I can drive fairly easily. A friend of mine had his entire kit, diving gear, photo and clothing, etc. stolen on a trip to Cancun. They eventually found his empty bag. Of course, since that was an international flight, the airline tried everything they could to wiggle out of liability; but since they were self-insured and had sold him loss insurance on his declared value...

I've had a bicycle stolen while flying. It was a $2k bike, and I always declare value and take the insurance. They looked REALLY hard for that bike, I'll tell you. They apparently loaded it into the wrong plane, and someone 'claimed' it at the other end...

 

[Buddha64]

Good thread. I'm going to Bonaire on the 22nd so I'll be watching this one closely

 

[Rafael]

I never got anything stole from me, but is been two times US Airways have lost my bags, thank god both times while coming back home (the bags were return to me after a day or two), so after that i carry my computer and regulator with me, the rest of the gear i could rent, but this airline i can't trust.

Very good thread, i will like to know the names of the airlines you had problems with.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I've done a lot of traveling in the last year, almost always with dive and camera equipment and never lost anything (touch wood). I keep hearing all these stories about lost or stolen luggage but never first hand. I'm not saying it doesn't happen but I don't know anyone who has lost a bag for more than a day.

 

[Cacia]

I check almost everything and have had excellent luck. I leave my gear in gear sheds at dive resorts...somebody accidently took my weight belt I think but never anything else. I thought the suggestion to put my Pelican in a big cheap duffle was great and I do that now. The airlines have had a good record with my stuff. Me, on the other hand lose stuff in bathrooms, overheads, gates, etc. Must the medication I take for those overnight flights!