I've never had anything taken from my cabin baggage and only locks from my checked (while making a lot of mess in the bag). They have tried to take stuff from me (water bottle at HKG which I'd gotten 2 minutes before at The Wing, aloe spray at MCO), I've never let them.
Got stopped at the US bound gate check in HKG. I stopped on the side and drank the water.
In MCO, they saw the spray on the xray, called a bag check and pulled it out. TSO said I couldn't have it as it was too big (4.5oz). I said I needed it, it's for my sun burn. TSO got sup who took one look at me and said ok.

I'm told that CDG tried to take some plastic cutlery from my parents who then counted with “um... they’ll just give us more on the plane...”