Theft at the airport: what to do and how to avoid theft of equipment from luggage
My phone was stolen from my suitcase. When I was flying from Moscow’s Vnukovo airport to Perm’s Big Savino, I put Nokia’s old phone in my suitcase pocket and forgot about it. After arriving, I got my luggage and went home. The locks were intact. But the phone was in my pocket.
Where to go if you find a missing person at the airport
If at the airport you saw that something in the suitcase is missing, then do not rush to run to the loaders or representatives of the airline. They can't help you. Few people know that before check-in for a flight, an inventory of things that go into luggage is compiled. If there is no inventory, there is no guarantee that the item was actually in the suitcase. It is better to immediately contact the police station, which is in every airport.
The police will ask you to write a statement. Specify the details of departures and arrivals: time, flight number, city, airport. Describe the item that was stolen. Also remember whether there were traces of burglary on the lock of the suitcase and fully describe the suitcase. In the application write everything you remember in detail and attach tickets.
But the police also need to prove that the thing belongs to you. Most often, phones, cameras, tablets and laptops are lost. Boxes and checks will prove that you own the gadget.
After that, you just have to wait for the thieves to be caught and returned.
What to do if you find your home missing
I'm sure nobody opens a suitcase at the airport unnecessarily. So I only found it missing at home. In this situation, you need to act in the same way as at the airport. Take documents for equipment, tickets and go to the police to write a statement. This can be a residential unit or a transport police station in your city.
Checks and boxes are very helpful in the investigation. For example, you can find the phone using the imei code that each model has. Law enforcement has access to a database where they use imei to access the location of phones. It is also important to show the contract for the SIM card that was on the phone. Passport data specified in the contract will confirm that the phone is really yours. The more documents you present, the greater the chances of finding a missing person.
The main thing is not to delay the appeal to the police. This way you will find your belongings, help find other passengers’ belongings and prevent theft.
How they found my phone
I decided there was zero chance of finding the phone, so I didn't go anywhere. No reason. A year later, I received a call from the Perm Linear Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia on transport. My phone was found. It turned out that in the Perm airport found a gang of intruders who opened more than one suitcase. When my phone was found, the imei code was broken by who and when made calls from this phone.
All I had to do was bring the ID to the phone and prove it was mine. But I threw away all the papers when the warranty expired. This is where the phone records helped me out. With a passport appealed to the mobile operator and asked to print out information about the numbers that called from the phone for six months before his theft. My information about the calls matched that received by the police through the imei code. She also showed me a contract for a SIM card, which is issued for me. To make sure that I bought the phone, I had to remember when I bought it and how I paid for it. I brought to the office a printout of expenses from a bank card, where it was written that I spent an amount equal to the price of a phone in the Svyaznoy store. All data was attached to the application.
After the investigation, my phone was returned.
How to secure your luggage
The department told me there were many similar cases. Gadgets are lost in airports, trains and on ships. Some things are found quickly, others look for a long time or do not find. Here are some tips on how to keep your suitcase safe:
1. Do not put expensive things in your luggage. Take all the precious items in the cabin of the plane.
2. Expensive suitcases with brand names also take to the cabin of the aircraft. They attract the attention of thieves the most.
3. Pack your bags in film at home or use the service at the airport. Buy special cases for suitcases.
4. Locks are not the most reliable protection. But they're better than nothing.
When traveling, protect yourself and your belongings.
Text by Vika Lisitsyna
Photo: osteoxondroznik.ru, poleznosti.mirtesen.ru, chitaitext.ru, sibfun.ru, unsplash.com