The key facts
- Thieves can scout out victims while still at the airport — at the gate and in Duty Free
- On overnight flights, thieves open overhead bins under the pretext of looking for a blanket or medication
- The expert advises keeping money and documents in a bag worn on the body
Theft on board: how victims are chosen
Passengers risk losing their money and documents even before arriving at their destination, especially on overnight flights when most people are asleep. This was reported by travel expert and owner of a travel agency Viktoria Podolskaya to Life.ru. According to her, criminals scout out future victims while still at the airport — for example, when travelers take out their wallets at the boarding gate or pay in Duty Free. That is why she advises counting and distributing large amounts of cash in advance, at home or in the hotel, so as not to attract the attention of 'spotters' at the airport and on board.
Expert tips for the flight
Podolskaya recommends particular caution on long overnight flights: when the cabin lights are turned off, thieves may open the overhead bins under the pretext of looking for a blanket or medication. 'Your passport, cash and bank cards should never, under any circumstances, be left in the overhead bin, even inside a closed backpack. While you sleep, transfer your money and documents to a waist bag (crossbody) that is physically worn on your body,' the expert emphasized. An alternative is a small bag with valuables under the seat in front of you, if the airline's rules allow it, but she considers a crossbody bag that stays on the passenger's body at all times the most reliable option. Another recommendation is to place your carry-on not in the bin above your own seat, where it is inconvenient to keep an eye on, but in the bin across the aisle or a row or two ahead, so the bag remains in your line of sight. Adults traveling together, the expert advises, should not keep all their money with one person, so that losing a wallet does not leave the group completely without cash.
Real cases of theft en route
That such schemes are indeed used is also shown by a case previously reported by Life.ru: a Russian tourist had about half a million rubles stolen during a flight from the Seychelles to Abu Dhabi. The man slept for almost the entire flight, and after waking up noticed suspicious fumbling near the overhead bin. He only discovered the loss at the hotel — the large dollar bills in his backpack had been swapped for small ones. The outlet also reported on a loader at Ufa airport who stole jewelry worth 1.5 million rubles from a passenger's bag. These examples illustrate Podolskaya's main point: valuables left in the overhead bin or in a backpack out of sight are most vulnerable precisely when the passenger is asleep or distracted.
