Someone took my luggage
 

Several years ago, I lost a checked in luggage (Samsonite hardcase) flying to Shanghai. It contained many brand new clothing (totaling $3K) and was not recovered.

3 days ago, someone in HKG took my checked in luggage (identical Samsonite hardcase) by mistake and brought it back to United a day later to exchange for his unclaimed luggage (identical Samsonite hardcore). He has the same model suit case as mine, but his was heavily repaired with different color main and side locks and wheels.

I noticed that my suitcase has been force opened (with claw bar markings on the lock) and the lock is broken. Nothing was worth much this time in the suitcase and nothing was taken.

1. Are there similar experiences out there?
2. It was a passenger's mistake that I did not receive my luggage at the belt, but it is now broken. Is it fair for me to ask United for a compensation, repairs or replacement for the suitcase?
3. The forced opening of my suitcase was unsettling to me, am I a victim to a luggage theft, with tactics used that target common/popular suitcase?

1. No, but I always try to be at the belt when luggage starts coming out for this exact reason
2. They don't owe you anything
3. Possibly, is there anything on your suitcase to distinguish it from others (ribbon, colored tape, etc.)? If not, then could be a simple mistake by the person who took it. He may have thought someone accidentally put a lock on it.

Did your suitcase have a TSA approved lock on it? If not, then the opening by force could have been at security screening, and you'll never know if it was an unauthorized entry.

Why would United be responsible for someone taking your luggage?

awu25 has it right: You need to be at the carousel when the luggage is unloaded. And you need to have some identifying marker. I have brightly colored name tags from an organization that gives them out at academic conferences I attend. Makes it much easier to track my luggage. But more and more I try to get by with carryon luggage.

And if it was a TSA-approved lock, it's precisely as effective as a little sticker that says "pls do not open thx."

Locking luggage is a fool's errand.

It's difficult to be at the carousel as the bags are delivered when arriving in the USA, with Immigration taking upwards of an hour...

I was there before the luggage delivery as I used the fast lane at immigration. I stood towards one end of the belt like you, but the bags were coming out on both ends of the belt.

I have not asked about the damage to the bag, but was told to buy a set of clothes (United will reimbursed) while I waited a day for my bag. I was in my winter clothes.

It was not a small add on lock, it was the built in lock and handle, measuring 2 by 3 inches each. His main and side locks was possibly broken before and were all replaced with light brown 3rd party parts. His main lock was revet on by another 6 by 10 inches piece of leather. So, they were the same suitcase, but they looked distinctly different with modifications. Mine has no marking or ribbon, his stand out with different color parts.

I never used that combination lock when I checked in for that reason. I only use that lock in the hotel to keep my valuable safe.

When he returned to the terminal in HKG, I was waiting at the counter so I met him in person. When I was introduced to him by the agent, he immediately pointed out that his wife was not careful with the lock and has broken it when she opened my bag. I was so happy to get my bag to continue on my connections that I did not examined it clearly. But when I saw the claw bar markings later, I was then alarmed.

It could all well be an innocent mistake, but just want to find out if there are similar occurrences out there at this location.

I am sorry for you, but you should have checked the bag. And I still don't know why UA has any responsibility for this.

I've never worried too much about people snagging bags before customs - you can't get there without coming in on a flight and if you snag someone else's bag you're in for some problems if you get pulled into secondary inspection.

For similar reasons, assuming the other person was on the same flight as OP, it's tough to imagine a baggage theft scheme that involves buying international airfare, taking multi-hour flights, hoping someone else has a bag similar to yours, and that that bag has anything of value in it.

Sounds like somebody just grabbed the wrong bag.


Anyway, locking your bag is silly - TSA will just break the locks, anyone who steals it will break the locks, and if there's really anything that valuable in your luggage, your real risk is loss/damage anyway - so don't check it.

Wow! I don't think I have ever traveled with more than $500 in clothing, often far less than that. I just don't see the point in taking more clothing simply in order to avoid having it cleaned during travels.

It doesn't seem to be a similar scenario, and UA no longer flies to BKK, but activities like this might be going on at other airports in Asia (and beyond).

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...-bag-snatchers

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crim...age-at-airport

I fly to HKG fairly often and so far I've never had a problem with luggage being stolen.

As others have pointed out locking your luggage is just asking for trouble. I will never use a lock on my luggage again. The only time I locked it, it showed up on the carousel wrapped in a plastic bag because someone along the line broke both zippers off. Either the lock and zippers were broken off by TSA or the lock caught in a conveyor and ripped everything off. Either way I won't be using a lock again.

It was in Hong Kong papers last year that they have caught a theft ring targeting certain brand of luggage in Hong Kong. Those were expensive luxury branded luggage. Mine is not an luxury bag, but a common season bag for some frequent traveller or crews. So, I thought I check with this community to see if there are other occurrences.

1. Yes, it happens more often than you'd think. I always wait at the luggage carouself and watch closely. I also put something on my bags to make them distinctive. Like one of those multi-colored socks that George HW Bush wears and tie it to the handle.
2. No. Not United's fault at all. I would ask the airport. Too many (most?) airports have absolutely no security to make sure people only take their own luggage. Just a few days ago they arrested a man at the airport in Thailand who stole luggage as a career. He would fly in on a cheap ticket, get to the luggage carousel and look for expensive looking bags and take a couple. Apparently did this on a regular basis.
3. I doubt it. This sounds more like someone who picked up the wrong bag, thought he lost his key or the lock was broken, and ham-handedly opened it himself.

It happened that it was the clothing suitcase for my family of four. We were on a two weeks trip, some official events and some vacation time. I have never imagined how much we travel with and on us until my wife added up the list. It would be an interesting exercise for us sometime....

I have learnt not to pack luggage in category since. I now have our belonging pack in different bags in mixed categories so we will have enough to get by for a couple of days in the event of a delay or lost luggage.