{"id":31849,"date":"2026-07-12T06:17:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T06:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/?p=31849"},"modified":"2026-07-12T06:17:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T06:17:08","slug":"this-is-the-no-1-item-stolen-at-airport-security-checkpoints-and-how-you-can-protect-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/?p=31849","title":{"rendered":"This is the No. 1 item stolen at airport security checkpoints and how you can protect it"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132341316,imgsize-114355,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/the-most-stolen-item-at-the-airpport-security-check.jpg\" alt=\"This is the No. 1 item stolen at airport security checkpoints and how you can protect it\" title=\"Canva\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>If you thought the <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/airport-security\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\">airport security<\/a> checkpoints are the safest areas, this explosive data will leave you shocked! The moment we move towards the security checks, we place our electronics like laptops, chargers and mobile phones, wallets, leather belts, among others very casually into a plastic tray before disappearing into the X-ray scanner.<!-- --> But as per Rose Rockwell (@rose.rockwell_) who on Instagram says she is a flight attendant and \u2018I\u2019m sharing the tricks the travel industry keeps to itself\u2019, says this everyday habit could make your smartphone one of the easiest targets for theft.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"5\"\/>A similar warning recently gained attention after travel creator Tiffany Booker (@travel.by.the.books) shared a video explaining why she now keeps her phone zipped inside a bag while passing through airport security.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"9\"\/>Their advice is simple: \u2018never place your phone loose in an airport security bin\u2019.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"11\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">Why smartphones are easy targets<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"14\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Airport\" msid=\"132341338\" width=\"\" title=\"canva\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132341338\/airport.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>canva<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/>Tiffany Booker recalled the incident when she placed her phone directly into a security tray. It was then a TSA (Transportation Security Administration) officer stopped her and asked, &#8220;You don&#8217;t like your phone?&#8221;<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"18\"\/>The question took her by surprise and she asked why.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"20\"\/>As per Tiffany, the TSA officer explained that phones are among the most commonly stolen items at airport security checkpoints. It is mostly because passengers are separated from their belongings for a short time during the security check. While they walk through body scanners and other security checks, their belongings get separated. <span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"24\"\/>These things happen mostly during busy travel periods. The bins often pile up on conveyor belts, distraction is created because of all the chaos and expensive electronic items such as mobile phones, earphones or cameras become an easy target. <span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>The claim about phones being the &#8220;number one stolen item&#8221; comes from the TSA officer&#8217;s anecdotal advice. Security experts also agree that unattended valuables are at greater risk of being stolen during screening.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"29\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">All they need is a few seconds of distraction <\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"32\"\/>Yes, a few seconds of distraction and your valuables are gone! Airport security is among the few moments when travellers are physically separated from their belongings.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">Imagine this familiar situation:<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"36\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"38\"\/>Your bags have already passed through the scanner.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"41\"\/>You&#8217;re waiting for an additional screening.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"43\"\/>Someone ahead is reorganising luggage.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"45\"\/>Security trays begin stacking up.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"47\"\/>During those few seconds, your phone may be sitting exposed inside an open tray giving the perfect opportunity to someone who might have been eyeing the phone.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"49\"\/>Even if theft never occurs, it is possible that you forget to pick it up or someone just mistakenly took yours. <span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"51\"\/>TSA data reveals that travellers leave behind around 90,000 to 100,000 items every month at airport security checkpoints across the United States. <!-- -->These can range from phones, wallets, tablets and even laptops. These are among the most commonly forgotten items at the airport.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"55\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"56\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">How to keep your belongings safe<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"58\"\/>As per security experts and travellers, never place your phone by itself inside a plastic tray. Instead, keep it inside a ziplock bag, handbag or carry-on whenever airport rules allow.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"61\"\/>All your expensive times remain together.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"63\"\/>Nothing is exposed.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"65\"\/>You&#8217;re less likely to forget your phone.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"68\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"69\"\/><span class=\"strong\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">A few simple habits can make a huge difference:<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"71\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The most stolen item\" msid=\"132341326\" width=\"\" title=\"Canva\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132341326\/the-most-stolen-item.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Canva<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"73\"\/>Empty your pockets before reaching the checkpoint.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"75\"\/>Keep travel documents in one dedicated pouch.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"77\"\/>Zip all valuables inside your cabin bag.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"79\"\/>Collect every item before walking away from the scanner.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"81\"\/>Double check the tray <span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"83\"\/>The TSA also advises passengers to review security rules before travelling regarding electronics, liquids and prohibited items.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"85\"\/>Imagine losing your phone which has all your data, from your boarding passes to hotel books, bank details and emergency contact everything. Sounds scary right? <span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"87\"\/>So from now on, be careful how you place your valuables inside the bin.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"89\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"90\"\/><span class=\"em\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">Sources: Transportation Security Administration (TSA), TSA <\/span><span class=\"em\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">Travel Tips<\/span><span class=\"em\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">, Instagram.<\/span><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"94\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/life-style\/travel\/things-to-do\/this-is-the-no-1-item-stolen-at-airport-security-checkpoints-and-how-you-can-protect-it\/articleshow\/132341311.cms\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you thought the airport security checkpoints are the safest areas, this explosive data will leave you shocked! The moment we move towards the security checks, we place our electronics like laptops, chargers and mobile phones, wallets, leather belts, among others very casually into a plastic tray before disappearing into the X-ray scanner. But as&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31850,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life-style"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31849","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31849"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31849\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/31850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saharanews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}