Laptop lost at security

[ellie]

Well, one good thing about this thread is that I shall certainly be more careful of things like laptops going through security, so I am glad to have been given a 'shot across the bows.' We take security for granted and think we are safe but we should always be wary and remain vigilant about our possessions, especially ones as invaluable as laptops - for me, the actual cost of replacement would be nothing compared to the loss of information if my laptop got stolen.

So thanks all for a fascinating thread, and I hope that the original laptop that started off this discussion is replaced by the insurance company.

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ellie
for me, the actual cost of replacement would be nothing compared to the loss of information if my laptop got stolen.
[/quote]
But of course, Ellie, you always do a regular backup, right?

[msmiff]

We've been in Florida for a week & had to pick up our friends from MCO a few days ago.
Absolutely amazed at the lack of security there....
We were able to wander unchallenged in through car hire, up to the luggage carousels where we would have been able to help ourselves to any bag from any arrival - actually met up with our friends on that level!
It seems that security had been diverted to airside, with limited resources leading to very lax systems elsewhere....
Would really advise travellers into MCO to keep their bags with them on the shuttle train, certainly anything of value !!

[lafifille]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ellie
Well, one good thing about this thread is that I shall certainly be more careful of things like laptops going through security, so I am glad to have been given a 'shot across the bows.' We take security for granted and think we are safe but we should always be wary and remain vigilant about our possessions, especially ones as invaluable as laptops - for me, the actual cost of replacement would be nothing compared to the loss of information if my laptop got stolen.

So thanks all for a fascinating thread, and I hope that the original laptop that started off this discussion is replaced by the insurance company.
[/quote]

Same here: I'm so glad you told your story. I've travelled a lot and never lost anything, so I don't think it would have occurred to me such a thing could happen, at security for God's sake! Now I'll make sure we'll go through security in this order: one adult, 2 kids, last adult, with the valuable stuff last on the X-ray mat. At some point we'll have our vacation pics in the laptop, it would be a shame to lose that, not to mention the cost of the computer itself!

[debbie]

I am glad this has made people realise what can happen at a point where you may feel secure. We will certainly be more on our guard in the future.

We are normally pretty alert, but on this occasion the operator decided that the laptop had to be out of the rucksack (was OK in Gatwick,JFK and La Guardia!), and when the bag went through for the second time, my son was sent back to remove his Wii console. So his bag went through three times, and this was where he was seperated from his laptop. We were the other side of security, and our focus was on our son.

Our photos were on the laptop from our New York trip and my 40th birthday in the Magic Kingdom - gutting.

[Robert5988]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Hi Robert,

I am not exactly sure why you find it implausible for a pair of criminals to work together! What exactly is difficult to believe about it? Many crimes involve two people...one to somehow distract the victim, and another to perform the actual crime.

Regarding laptops...I think you live in a too-privileged area of society, if you think 2nd hand laptops are not very valuable! One of the things most regularly stolen are mobile phones, which are worth even less. In many many cases of theft, the intrinsic value of an item as we would measure it is irrelevant...even if you can only sell it for 50 quid in a pub, you're still 50 quid up...[/quote]
Keith,

Agreed laptops, mobiles, and Satnavs are much in demand for the low life to sell for their next 'fix'. Leaving them on show in your car is an open invitation in some areas.


However what I find implausible is a fairly sophisticated and repeated 'sting' using 2 or 3 people in a security area bristling with cameras etc to steal laptops worth £50 or £100 in a pub - notwithstanding that they are worth more to the the owner.

Also I have no idea what their 'hit' rate would be for each time they went through security - but I suspect not that high.

Anyhow, sophisticated operation or opportunity theft, if indeed the security screening areas are high risk, we are now all the wiser.

Also, as said above, all members of the public have access to the luggage carousels at many USA airports. It would be the easiest thing for a thief to pick up a case from the point where they emerge. If challenged by the owner it would simply be a question of saying they had picked up the wrong bag. IMO a lot less of a risk than operating in the security areas.

[lafifille]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by debbie


Our photos were on the laptop from our New York trip and my 40th birthday in the Magic Kingdom - gutting.
[/quote]

Wow, that sucks...[msnsad] I feel bad for you.

As for the luggage carrousel being access free, it's frustrating when you think it would be a simple matter to just install a set of automatic doors, opening only for the leaving passengers! If we have that in Bordeaux, they could have it at MCO [msnwink].

[ellie]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sniff

But of course, Ellie, you always do a regular backup, right?
[/quote]

[msnembarrased] no comment......[msnscared]

Can't stop now, just going to do one of my regular backups of my laptop........honest![msnwink]

[sarahnmitch]

Two years ago, we flew into Miami and drove up to Orlando. We forgot that we had checked my then 3 yo son's mini suitcase so had to call the airline. They forwarded the case via Atlanta and we were told which flight it was arriving to mco on and that we could pick it up at the lost luggage office. We showed up at the office shortly after arrival, and the agent told us that it hadn't been collected and to check the carousel. The area was pretty much deserted and amongst the few cases that were there, we picked up our case from said carousel. My dad who was with me (and retired police), couldn't believe how easy it would be for anyone to just walk up and walk off with a case from curbside. As the previous poster stated, coming in through the car hire rental, there is no one to stop you.