Returning from your trip, you discover that your jewellery box isn’t in your suitcase. At the hotel, you notice that all the cash you had in your wallet has gone. Paying your bill at the bar, you realise that your phone is no longer in your pocket. Cases like these aren’t the exception anymore: the past year has seen a marked increase in the number of thefts from luggage, with thieves expanding their operations from crowded streets to airports and even hotel rooms.

Tourists have always been an attractive target for thieves. People are more relaxed on holiday, are often found in the kinds of crowded places they’d avoid at home, and are more easily distracted. But Marit Raag, Product Manager for Seesam Travel Insurance, says that while tourists have long been targeted, she has never seen a wave of thefts on this scale: not only has the number of cases grown, but the amounts of compensation being paid out as well. Moreover, the range of places and situations in which thefts are being committed has expanded.

Taking everything from cash to dirty laundry

“The average payout in cases of luggage theft is 500-600 euros,” Raag noted. “Pickpockets mostly go for wallets for their cash and documents, plus things like mobile phones, laptops and glasses. If they’re stolen from a car, it’s usually because a handbag or backpack has been left in plain sight. The thieves break the window and snatch it. Often they don’t even know what they’re taking. Some people find that their toiletries or even their dirty laundry have been stolen! In bigger cases, the damage can reach up to 5000 euros, which is the maximum compensation that’s paid out. In the most costly incidents, thieves have gotten away with entire bags or suitcases and all the devices, jewellery and cash in them.”

Raag says the rise in pickpocketing is likely down to the financial insecurity affecting all parts of the globe, which has enticed people into making money illicitly. The fact that phones, laptops and branded sunglasses cost more than ever is driving up the amount being paid out in compensation, since the device in your pocket or the jewellery in your suitcase can be worth more than the trip itself.

Thieves posing as tourists

Busy streets, public transport, cafés and beaches are where thieves tend to be most active, says Raag. “They go about it very stealthily, and often in teams, with one person creating a distraction while another grabs your phone or wallet and a third disappears with the loot,” she explained. “They distract you by staging a random collision or asking you a question or telling you they need something. In Tenerife, for example, thieves pretend to be tourists on the way to the village of Masca who are at a rest stop with gorgeous views. They take photos of one another and, when the opportunity arises, wander over to the car park and try the doors. That’s how actual tourists who have jumped out for a quick pic have lost their wallets and other valuables. Then there’s the targeting of bars and cafés, where a bag hanging off the back of a chair or a phone left on a table is easy prey. And at the beach, you only have to have been in the water for a few minutes to return and find the things you left on your towel have gone.”

Thefts from resorts, hotels and the like are also on the rise, with cash often preferred over valuables because its disappearance may not be noticed straight away – making it much more difficult to identify the perpetrator.

“Last year, we also came across a number of cases in which people’s belongings vanished from luggage they’d checked in at the airport,” Raag added. “Most of them involved connecting flights, where luggage passes through a number of systems and is handled by more members of airport staff. In addition to strikes, the fact that people are travelling a lot more again is having an impact as well. More passengers means more stress on systems and, unfortunately, more mistakes and losses. The number of suitcases going missing is increasing all the time.”

How to protect yourself against thieves?

On public transport, always hold your bag in front of you and avoid keeping your phone and wallet in a coat or trouser pocket.
When you get out of your car, don’t leave anything in sight. The safest bet is to place your items in the boot before you even get to your parking space.
Always lock your car, even if you’re only going to a viewing platform for a few minutes to take a photo.
In hotel rooms, use the safe and don’t keep all of your cash in one place.
At the beach, one person should always stay with your belongings, as unattended items make for an easy target.
When flying, pack your most valuable items in your hand luggage – avoid placing them in checked-in bags – and where practicable, keep your hand luggage under the seat in front of you.