Here's another- if you have a GPS, always put it in the glovebox when you park your car. And take down the suction cup mount and put the charger away, too.

My rental car was broken into two nights ago. I had put everything away except the charger (late night, I was tired, I forgot). The charger was enough of an incentive that someone smashed the window, searched the car, and stole my GPS and ipod. Cops say this is the most common form of theft they're seeing, and thieves search hotel parking lots for any sign of portable electronics.

@EarlNowak: Don't put it in the glovebox. Take it with you.

dont just take it off, and take it with you, but wipe the round mark off your windshield. They'll know.

Don't just take it off, and take it with you, and wipe of the round mark on your windshield. Also hide it in a body cavity before going to sleep.

Unfortunately, the theft I've had while traveling was very difficult to avoid: the license plates off of the car. (It was parked at a hotel.) I've also come back to long-term airport parking to find the plates missing off of several other cars in the lot but, thankfully, not mine.

Don't just take it off, and take it with you, and wipe of the round mark on your windshield. Also ... oooh, nevermind.

Don't just take it off, and take it with you, and wipe of the round mark on your windshield and hide it in a body cavity before going to sleep. Also lock yourself in a safe.

split your money up - keep only a nominal amount in your wallet/purse & spread the rest around (jacket pockets, socks, wherever (just remember where you put it). if you're traveling with credit cards, keep one separate from your wallet/purse in case everything is stolen (so you won't be stranded without money). you may even consider concealing cash/cards in a cash belt or under-clothing wallet.

& don't whip out a wad when you're buying something - muggers/pickpockets/thieves usually case their targets before striking.

@Trai_Dep: I see what you did there.

WTF...! 6 out of 8 of those "tips" are while in the airport!

Should rephrase the title to "6 Ways to Ward Off Crooked TSA Employees While in the Airport".

I just travel nude

Safes! Use safes wherever you go because they work.

When I was in Kenya years ago, they had in-room safes at the hotel. The expats there said the maids knew the combinations.

@laserjobs: I do too and, funnily enough, while criminals avoid me like the plague the TSA employees can't seem to ask enough questions.

Is it me or are there several non productive comments violations on this thread?

As a former baggage handler, I have some advice.

Don't whip out your laptop when coming from an international flight when you are in customs if you are stupidly trusting enough to check your laptop, people are watching.

Get a Ziplock bag, put your watch, keys, wallet, cell, and change in it so you can grab it when you go through security.

If you think Samsonite luggage is the best, you are fooling urself. They can be opened in about 30 seconds, the locks are easy to pick the combination, so don't ship valuables, don't be cheap, use Fedex.

If possible, get a security tag on your laptop. I got mine from the factory for $5 more, it has my name, company name, and serial number on the lid of my laptop, so if you go through security and you have a popular model like a Thinkpad, if someone "accidently" takes the wrong laptop yu have your name on it.

Get one of these and hang it around your neck, under our jacket or whatevr, put your passport/ID and your ticket if possible so you can get it quickly and not be "that" guy who gets to the gate and fumbles around in his pocket/her purse.

Theft is important, but simple forgetfulness may be a larger problem.

Golden Rule: NEVER set anything down that you cannot live without.

Of course you must set some things down, like a backpack or coat. Be sure that all your smaller things are inside your pack, or your pockets, or otherwise secure. It is way too easy to set down a hat, or camera, etc. on a table as you eat, then forget to pick it up later.

*yourself

Based on foreign travels in some dicey areas...

- Use an under-clothing wallet and keep back-up cash, and a credit card, and (arguably) your passport in there. Never let this wallet leave your sight. Also, do not reach into it in public.

- In your regular wallet, keep just enough cash for the day (also known as just enough cash to hand over if you get robbed) so as not to frustrate your muggers. If you are good at predicting how much you'll be spending, you won't even need to keep a credit/ATM card in this one.

- When traveling, do everything possible to bring your bag with you on the bus (rather than leave it in the luggage compartment). When challenged about it, be insistent and say something about safety. On the bus, DO NOT put it in the ceiling rack. Keep it on the floor under your legs. Even if you think you are looking at your bag on the ceiling rack, it will get robbed. I know several people who were robbed this way, even when they thought they were being attentive. (The implication of this tip is to travel very light, so your bag is small enough to take on the bus.)

- Keep your bags locked with a small padlock at all times. This will strongly deter crimes of opportunity, i.e., those that occur by thieves who are not looking to physically engage you, but just happen to notice you are not keeping a careful eye on your stuff.

- When staying at hostels, do not stay in the dorm rooms. Individual rooms are cheap enough and far more secure. If you stay in a dorm room, the workers will steal your stuff, and you will have no recourse with management, since they can just blame the strangers in your room. This is another one of those that has affected a lot of people I know.

- Don't walk around with an expensive camera bag. You might consider just keeping your camera in a plastic bag from a local grocery store and pulling it out when needed. This is a debatable one, but I've employed this method a lot without any problems.

- Do not give your passport to ANYONE who is not a uniformed member of immigrations/customs. This includes locals who say they are with the tourism ministry and have ID cards to "prove" it. Once someone has your passport, you entirely under their control. If someone else needs to see your passport, show it to them, but don't hand it to them.

- If you have a car, always keep the doors locked, even when the car is parked and you are in it, or when you are standing right next to it. The one time I've been robbed occurred in Barcelona late at night when some moped-riding bandits slashed my tire at a stop light (without my knowledge), then distracted me while I changed the tire while an accomplice grabbed my bag out of the back seat on the other side of the car. Prior to changing the tire, I thought, "Should I lock the doors?", but didn't do it. Mistake.

Oh, also: Don't accept offers from anyone who approaches you. For example, if you are at the bus station or airport and someone comes up to you asking if you need a taxi, ignore them and either go find a staff person who can find you a "safe" taxi driver, or go to the taxi stand and find someone who you get a good feeling from (I usually look for old guys who look like they've been driving cabs for 30 years). This is another thing you can be insistent about and people will understand.

I was a paranoid nut when I traveled out of the country for the first time but I had no problems & nothing stolen from me. :)

Example of something i did.... when I set my suitcase down to make a phonecall at the airport... I leaned it against my leg so I KNEW it was still there.

I've had the opposite experience when it comes to packing neatly... I stuff a ton of electronics all in my carryon. The TSA agent usually spends a minute or two counting all of the power transformers (they seem to be obsessed with these) and then push the bag through. Invariably, I end up through the metal detector and even have enough time to put my shoes back on before they're done with my bag.

@mgy: Don't just take it off and take it with you and take wipe of the round mark on your windshield and hide it in a body cavity before going to sleep. And take lock yourself in a safe. And then forget the combination.

@chandler in lasvegas: (Then kindly email Roz if you feel a post doesn't meet standards rather than clutter up the comments - as the guidelines dictate, while simultaneously demonstrating to the world that you lack a funny-bone)

@ADM: "- Do not give your passport to ANYONE who is not a uniformed member of immigrations/customs. This includes locals who say they are with the tourism ministry and have ID cards to "prove" it. Once someone has your passport, you entirely under their control. If someone else needs to see your passport, show it to them, but don't hand it to them."

This. Also if you are in a foreign country, and someone asks for your ID or passport to hold while you borrow something or rent something walk away. I was in Montreal, Canada visiting the indoor gardens (i forget the name) and to get one of those headphone announcers the lady wanted to hold my passport or ID, and I stupidly did that. Your passport is the most valueable thing you have on yourself next to your credit card. Don't give or hand it to anyone unless they are law enforcement, it can make or break your trip.

@ADM: Word on the mini-cabs. One of the more retarded things I did during my undergrad abroad was take the shadiest, rapiest mini-cabs around because they were cheap, and while 80% of them are probably above board guys who just want to feed their families, they are illegal, and bad things do happen.

Also word on the passport, but I would argue it might be even more important then your credit card. A US passport on the black market could be worth thousands, and theives are very aware of this.

I can't agree more with the "Trust Nobody!" advice. On a school trip to Italy we had stopped at a bassilica in between the airport and hotel to kill time before our rooms were ready. the bus drivers said the buses would be locked and we could leave everything on the bus. When we got back to the buses one of them had been completely cleaned out.

@Trai_Dep: Don't just take if off and take it with you and wipe the off the round mark on your windshield and hide it in a body cavity before going to sleep and lock yourself in a safe and forget the combination. Also bury the safe far enough away from where you're staying that no one will think to look for valuables there.

@EarlNowak: Do not use suction mounts. Thieves also look for that for GPS receivers.

"Safes! Use safes wherever you go because they work."

Not necessarily true. I used to believe that until another guest across the hall at a hotel I was staying at in Bangkok waited for me to go out for the evening, broke into my room, pryed the safe from its mounts, and then was able to pry the door open.

Better to use the safe deposit boxes in reception.

There's something strangely homoerotic about that picture used. Maybe it's just me. Yep, it's just me.

Having once had someone reach into my side pants pocket, grab some money and run - not a pickpocket, just a reach in, grab and take off - I now pin the pocket from inside with a safety pin. It doesn't show and it deters anyone from reaching into the pocket.

I have to remove the pin to access the pocket, but it is clearly worth the extra time.

@EtoilePB:
Use Robertson screws to attach your license plates. Works great south of the 49th.

Use sun shades on your windscreen to darken the interior of your parked car.

Resist the urge to give your wallet a reassuring pat when you see a "Beware of pickpockets" sign.

Also - have a a file somewhere, (like emailed to yourself) with your CC and debit card phone numbers, and a copy of your driver's license and passport.

I use a small messenger bag when traveling, and usually keep my wallet in there with some cash and CC in pocket.

But if something ugly did happen at least I can quickly expedite the steps - and a copy of my passport is a big help overseas.

@timmus:
Were the safes the electronic kind where you choose your own password before locking it?

Local laws are irrelevant, always carry a gun.

@bovinekid: Don't just take if off and take it with you and wipe the off the round mark on your windshield. Then hide it in a body cavity before going to sleep and lock yourself in a safe, forgetting the combination. Then bury the safe far away from where you're staying, digging an extra 10' deep to lay a foundation of rebar-ed concrete over it.

@Quatre707: I really wouldn't recommend carrying a gun at all unless you are 100% familiar with every single gun and concealed weapons law within the country you'll be travelling.
Also, standard "can be used against you" argument.
But that's just me.

Goes without saying, but ladies, do not bring a designer purse! You may as well just carry a big target.

I traveled with a group last winter and the ones who got pickpocketed were the ones with the Prada/Coach/Kate Spade bags. A nondescript purse with a short strap that you wear in front of your body, with a zipper and at least one interior zipped pocket, will work great. I had a boring canvas purse from Eddie Bauer, it didn't tag me as clearly a tourist (though the other ladies on the trip did that for me), it was structured and nice enough to wear into nicer places, and I had no trouble like they did.

@Quatre707: I carry a sawed off shotgun under a trench coat when I'm overseas. No one f***s with me.

@ADM: I have to add about NOT taking rides from people who approach you at the airport: unless you know about it beforehand, your hotel did NOT send someone. We got hit with this when we went to Puerto Vallarta. They knew our names, our hotel, and were waiting for us.

They were not from the hotel. Though I have no doubt someone at the hotel made some money selling that info.

I had a front wheel stolen off of a rental car in the middle of the night while it was parked in the driveway of my son's house in Houston. The car was right in front of the bedroom I was sleeping in and the window was open. I didn't hear a thing.

@deadspork: You do understand that his comment was satirical, right?

@ShirtNinja: I wasn't sure. I live in Texas. We're pretty big on guns here... It's hard to tell tone in text.

I actually do know people who would, very seriously, make that recommendation :P

I've traveled alone a lot in Europe, and the advice about hostels is right. My iPod and phone were stolen. It was fine because the phone was cheap and I hated it and it had no units on it, and while I was frustrated, I got a room upgrade, and iPods are replaceable.

If you are going on vacation and don't need your computer, leave it. Laptop thefts are easy to pull off in public places. Don't carry a computer bag either.

Wear your purse across your body, and also keep your hand on your purse when traveling in small spaces. Keep your purse across your body at outdoor cafes and next to you inside restaurants if you're in a booth seat. Carry small amounts of cash, and leave behind credit cards or debit cards unless you absolutely must make a large purchase.

If you are approached, do not engage people. I could often understand what was being said to me because I speak several languages. Don't say where you're from, don't say who you are, and don't say anything to indicate which language you do speak. It invites further conversation and if you engage people, they have a chance to rob you or they will relentlessly pursue you.

Avoid making eye contact while walking around because some will see this as a sign that you want to engage in conversation.

As said before carry a nondescript purse or none at all.

Never carry your passport on you, but keep a copy. Don't produce it unless asked, and only carry it if you plan to travel that day to another town.

Walk briskly and avoid large groups of people like protests, demonstrations, and crowded shopping areas at peak times of the day.

Don't walk around alone at night unless it's a short distance. Arrange travel ahead with friends so you know who's taking a cab back with whom.

Don't get drunk. It draws attention to you, and you act as an exaggeration of yourself. Your speech gets louder and in a foreign language this attracts a lot of negative attention. Carry your drink in your hands too, but that's standard frat party etiquette. Get your own drinks from the bar.

Ignore people who ask to "assist" you at the airport. If they exist take a licensed cab and avoid gypsy cabs, but they're harder to find in developing countries.

Sit close to older women if you can on a bus or in a small space. People are less likely to pester you when surrounded by babushkas.

Dress according to local custom as best you can. Don't wear shorts, flip-flops, T-shirts in English, and avoid using backpacks. They're all signs of a tourist/student/target.

Talk quietly, no matter which language it's in.

But the most important piece of advice I received when living abroad is don't ever look lost. Always pretend you know exactly where you're going and walk with confidence. If you are lost, whip out a map only in an open public space like a park. Don't ask for directions from people on the street. Ask shopkeepers. Keep track of the street name you are on and the streets you have crossed if applicable so you can pinpoint your location easily on a map.

And if you are living abroad, make friends with shopkeepers so if you're being followed, you can duck into their place without arousing suspicion. They can even sometimes help you out by telling someone to get lost.

Overall the rule seems to be "Be afraid, people! Be very afraid!"

Yeesh, I understand some precautions but going over a thirty point checklist, avoiding all eye contact, acting meek and servile, hiding all valuables rectally and sneering at casual conversation aren't going to make any trip all that enjoyable. I'd rather lose my laptop than live in the paranoid world many of my fellow commenters seem to inhabit.

@Trai_Dep: I _knew_ I felt "bunched up" lol!

One of the hotels I stopped at had a combo safe that was closed and locked. I assume someone was being an idiot and closed and locked it for fun. I called the front desk and someone came up and punched in a bypass code to reset it and open it.

So just because you can set the combo yourself doesn't mean there isn't a "back door" into the thing as well.

Don't buy a camera bag with the camera company name on it like "Nikon", "Sony", etc.... If you have a nice SLR camera get a camera backpack, a nice one will run you about 75-100 bucks. They look like every other backpack, people won't know your camera is in there, or your dirty socks.

@bnpederson: Actually acting meek, especially if you are a woman traveling alone is the last thing you should do. In this day and age, it is a "trust no one" mentality. There are alot people who want to take advantage of a very nice "rich American (or whatever). You keep yourself safe.

@alysbrangwin: Thank you for this awesome list. My mom lived in Europe for two years (and is encouraging me to do the same after Grad school) so I have heard almost all of these before. I was going to post about walking briskly and with confidence as meek people will be targeted but you did a fine job of doing it.

@EarlNowak: Same thing happened to our car. We just left the charger in the car outlet and someone smashed the passenger side window to get in and steal it. Luckily, we only left the cable so the gps unit is safe, we had to buy a new cable and window.