Whether you're traveling to a busy foreign city or taking a trip to a remote island, losing your stuff is always a risk. And not only can it ruin your trip (no one wants to spend a beach day doing an embassy run for a new passport), but it can also cost you to replace what you’ve lost.
However, with a few preventative tips, you can significantly reduce your risk of losing anything valuable while enjoying your vacation. From the way you pack to your behavior while sightseeing, little changes can add up to a big difference.
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Smart Ways to Carry and Store Your Valuables
Don’t just think about how you store your valuables as you’re packing your suitcase. You also need to consider where to keep them when you’re moving about your destination.
Use hidden storage solutions
Some suitcases or backpacks have hidden compartments where you can keep items like electronics.
That way, if someone like a rogue hotel or airline employee pokes through your bag, they might not find the valuable items.
You can also buy items that look worthless but keep your items safe, like a lint roller with a hidden compartment where you can store cash.
Also, keeping your valuables on your body with a money belt, perhaps tucked under your shirt, can reduce your risk of getting pickpocketed.
Keep high-value items in carry-on bags
Put valuable items in your carry-on so they’re never out of sight.
This can help avoid both theft and misplacement — if an airline loses your bag, do you really want items like your passport and laptop floating around an unknown location?
Still, be smart about how you store your items. Consider carry-on bags that have features like locks and/or hidden compartments to reduce the chances someone will snatch valuables within it.
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Choose the right day bag for sightseeing
You're probably not bringing your carry-on luggage with you while sightseeing, so you might need a separate day bag that can be used to store valuables like cash, credit cards, and your phone.
If you throw those in a regular backpack, don't be surprised if a skilled pickpocketer unzips your bag and grabs them without you realizing.
Instead, consider backpacks that have lockable zippers, or use something like a crossbody bag with concealed zippers and slash-resistant straps.
Here too, a money belt can come in handy, especially if you can conceal it under a shirt.
READ MORE: 13 Ways to Avoid Losing Your Stuff While Traveling
Strategies for Preventing Theft and Pickpocketing
Thieves love tourists, who are usually too busy taking in the sights around them to realize they’re being targeted.
Here’s how to make sure you don’t fall victim.
Be mindful in high-risk areas
It's always good to be aware of your surroundings, but you should be particularly alert in high-risk areas. Think: crowded tourist spots like markets and historical sites, on public transit, and streets or neighborhoods known for pickpocketing and similar crime.
Do some research online for your destination to see if there are any common distraction tactics used by thieves in that area.
For example, maybe a vendor tries to engage you in a sales discussion while an accomplice rummages through your bag or picks your pocket.
Use decoy wallets and dummy items
One way to outsmart pickpockets is to use decoys.
Odds are, a pickpocket will grab an item from you and quickly leave. That means you can bait them with a decoy, like an empty wallet, while your actual valuables are in a money belt.
Use GPS or Bluetooth trackers for essential items
Put GPS or Bluetooth trackers (like an Apple AirTag) in your bags or attach them to valuables like keys and wallets. This can help authorities locate them in the event you're robbed.
It's not always a deterrent, as the thief could remove the tracker, but if they don't realize it's there, you might be able to recover your stolen items.
Keeping Important Documents and Electronics Safe
Traveling requires you to carry a lot of important information with you, like passports, visas, and insurance policies. You’ve probably also got a phone, tablet, or laptop with you.
All of these are easy to go missing in an unfamiliar place — here’s how to stash them safely.
Use hotel safes and secure storage
If your hotel has a good reputation, consider putting important documents like your passport in it (if local law doesn’t require you to carry the original document with you), while keeping a paper and digital copy on you.
That said, not everyone feels comfortable with hotel safes, as staff may still have access, and there have been reports of them being easy to break into. Instead, you might prefer to bring your own portable safe or secure storage system, like a lockable bag.
You also might be able to add a small travel lock to the safe itself for extra security.
Digitize your travel documents
If you lose physical documents or they get damaged, you want to have a digital backup ready.
You can use free or low-cost cloud storage solutions to keep digitized copies of passports, tickets, and lists like emergency contacts.
Protect electronics from cyber theft
Good cybersecurity hygiene goes a long way toward keeping you safe. For example, even if your laptop is stolen, a strong password can prevent thieves from accessing sensitive data like your banking login or email account.
Other devices like RFID-blocking wallets can help reduce the chances of criminals using RFID scanners to steal your credit card data while it sits in your pocket or bag.
Waterproof and shockproof cases
Even if your documents or electronics aren't stolen, they can get ruined by a simple water bottle spill, toiletry leak, or rough handling by airport staff.
Consider putting your phone in a waterproof and/or shockproof case to reduce the odds of water damage or physical damage from a fall.
READ MORE: Smart Tips for Protecting Your Electronics While Traveling
Common Mistakes That Put Valuables at Risk
We’re all guilty of making mistakes when traveling, but now that you know what to do, you’re prepared for what not to do, like…
Leaving items unattended
A brief moment of inattention is all it takes.
Don't leave your bag out if you're using the bathroom in a cafe, or leave your phone on the seat next to you in an airport lounge while you rummage through your backpack.
Instead, make sure you have your valuables on you or leave them with someone trusted, like hotel front desk staff.
Overloading bags or carrying too much
Stuffing your bag to the brink makes it more likely that something will fall out unbeknownst to you. Or it could be easier for someone to quickly steal an item without you realizing.
Similarly, carrying too much in your hands can make it easier to drop something valuable or not be able to react quickly if someone tries to pickpocket you.
Packing a little lighter or more efficiently can go a long way toward making your trip more secure and relaxed.
Not getting travel insurance for expensive items
Even if you take preventative steps, sometimes theft or damage still occurs.
So, if you're traveling with high-value items, consider buying travel insurance to protect them. Or see what travel protections your credit card has. That way, even if something goes wrong, you can get reimbursed.
Keep in mind that a basic travel insurance may exclude valuables like expensive jewellery or electronics, so you may need to purchase an add-on or premium plan.
FAQs About Preventing Theft and Loss While Traveling
Should I lock my checked luggage, or can TSA still open it?
TSA has a right to look in locked bags and can open many locks, or they might cut non-TSA-approved locks to see inside your bag. Consider using TSA-approved locks to make the process easier and avoid TSA damaging your luggage to get in.
What should I do if my wallet or phone is stolen abroad?
Report the theft to local authorities and any relevant businesses where this theft may have occurred, such as your hotel.
If you have a GPS or Bluetooth tracker on your wallet, or your phone has features turned on that let you track its location, provide that information to local authorities.
Is it better to use a money belt or an anti-theft backpack?
The choice between a money belt and an anti-theft backpack depends on personal preference and situation.
For example, if you're just carrying a couple of credit cards and your ID, a money belt might be more practical. But if you're worried about a thief slashing your belt or if you have larger items with you, an anti-theft backpack might come in handy. You might even use both together.
Bottom Line: Traveling Safely with Valuables
Taking a few proactive safety steps can go a long way toward keeping your valuables safe while traveling.
Through a mix of devices, packing strategies, mindfulness, and protections like travel insurance, you can reduce the odds of lost or damaged possessions setting you back financially.
And by taking these preventative measures, you can feel more at ease during your travels!
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