This is all of course speculation (unless any actual baggage pilferers are posting). I believe that a baggage handler would definitely go for a faster, easier route, which leaves no traces until the contents are discovered missing - the unlocked bag.
And from Yahoo today, especially for this thread...
http://gma.yahoo.com/lax-workers-bus...ries.html?vp=1
Originally Posted by
lewisc
I always thought a lock on a piece of luggage suggests the bag is more likely to have something worth stealing then an unlocked bag.
Given the ease of opening a locked bag I'd expect many of the pilferers would go for the locked bag first.