Suitcase Locks Don't Work - Here Is Why They Keep Selling Them

By Author: allenwords
Total Articles: 98
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The travel accessories market is big business. In fact, bag accessories in the USA alone are a multi-million dollar business, according to the US Travel Goods Association. In their recent report, ‘State of the US travel market', the association reports that within the last decade alone, the baggage lock sales alone were worth over $300 million US dollars. Over 114 MILLION locks were sold to passengers within the USA alone during this period. Many more were sold to travellers internationally. Most of these locks were used to seal soft sided suitcases with zips, being the most common checked luggage item. These sales were often based upon travel advice suggesting they improve baggage security.
Here is a travel tip you need to know: None, that's right, absolutely zero of those locks worked to comprehensively secure check in bags from concealed acts of tampering. Don't worry, we are not suitcase lock salesmen, so we won't ask you to take our word for it. Seeing is believing, so we invite you to watch and make up your own mind, both here and here.
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... Luggage Seals. Looking for real travel advice on how to pack securely, then learn more about the risks here.
It may be hard to believe that a situation like this exists today, with all of the security hype we wake up to every morning, but it is a truth that is well known by the industry and in international law enforcement. One recent example occurred in India. Rakesh Maria, Joint Commissioner of Police, said after breaking up a baggage theft ring operating in Mumbai airport: The arrested persons used to unzip the passengers' bags using a pen or a pin, take out the valuables and zip them back. In fact, it happens all the time and is reported by press across the globe. Now you know it too.
Locks do not secure bags.
Here is why: Contrary to all the marketing hype surrounding locks, the logic behind locks when it comes to protecting luggage against tampering, theft and smuggling is flawed. Anything designed to be opened and closed repetitively can be opened and closed without you knowing about it. This includes your locked suitcase, which was never designed to be a fortress. Even if your suitcase is locked, if the zips move on your bag, it can be breached and resealed in seconds, without leaving a trace of tampering. Unless you use a tamper evident seal. Opening an unprotected locked case with items that are readily available even in secured airport areas is a very simple task. Effective luggage security requires more than a common lock. It requires a security seal that isolates zips and also indicates if tampering occurs.
So why do locks continue to be advertised and sold with the claim that they provide security to passengers? That answer is simple: With over $300 million USD in sales at risk of disappearing with the truth in the USA alone, there are over 300 million reasons for an industry to continue to rely on the public's mistaken trust in the idea that locks work.
Don't get caught out. Learn the facts at www.securoseal.com and prepare yourself adequately for your next trip with Securoseal tamper evident luggage seals. Each Securoseal includes a number of patented features, such as a high weight capacity bag strap and cable tie to seal and isolate your zips and a receipt to record the use of the seal. With the value of your luggage and your personal security at stake, it is a worthwhile and affordable investment for your peace of mind.
Getting the latest news from across the globe regarding travel safety and luggage risks, updated in real time, is now easier than ever. Subscribe to Securoseal's e-lert gadget and you can add the latest news to your desktop via iGoogle or Yahoo. If you use these and you wish to be in the know, subscribe for free by clicking here.
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