Burglars Love Luggage Tags
What you put on your luggage tag could place your home and loved ones at risk
Dear Airline Traveler,
Thank you so much for including your name, phone number and home address on your luggage tag. I was running out of homes to break into. I have to support my drug habit, doncha know. But now that you just hopped on an airplane and won’t be home for a while, I can go to your place and rob you blind. I ought to find plenty to take to the pawn shop, sell on the streets or use for trade. Thanks for that. Oh, and if you left your teenage daughter or wife at home, that could be a real bonus. They wouldn’t expect me to be there so I might have to make sure they aren’t able to call the cops after I leave… If you know what I mean. Or maybe while I’m there, I may just ‘hit that’ sweet thing. She’s probably never had a real man like me. I just can’t tell you how much I appreciate you sharing such personal information with me.
Love,
Burglar and part-time rapist, attacker and murderer if I panic.
Extreme? Perhaps. Possible? You bet. Every day countless travelers unknowingly do stupid things to put themselves, love ones or personal property at risk. Do you feel safe sharing such personal information with unknown gate agents, baggage handlers, valets, or even the stranger standing next to you at the check-in counter? Under what circumstance would you possibly need to include your home address on your luggage?
If your luggage is lost or mis-routed, wouldn’t it make sense to merely have your name and cell phone number on the tag? At least that way the airlines could contact you for more information. Or list your name and the phone number where you will be staying once you arrive at your destination if you don’t want your unpublished cell phone number attached to your name.
Interestingly I decided to look up a few airlines to see what their policy was with regard to identification on luggage. Here are a few, taken directly from their own websites: Continue reading
3 Personal Safety Tips for Amusement Parks
Amusement Parks No Place for Complacency
Summer is here and kids both young and young at heart love amusement parks. One doesn’t need to drive too far to find one of many scattered across the country.
Before you go, keep in mind these three important tips to ensure your personal safety.
1. Use lockers to store valuables or keep your necessities with you at all times. Today’s amusement parks now have some fantastic water rides. Nothing says cool off better than a trip up the Lazy River or down the Adventure Falls. Signage warns, “You will get soaked”. Most parks now have barrels or shelving where you can place your belongings before boarding the water ride. Anyone with a backpack, cell phone or wallet certainly would not want to have those items drenched; therefore they set their items in a staging area to ensure they stay dry. However signage also warns, ‘Not responsible for lost or stolen items’. The staging location is not manned or monitored. Anyone could walk over to the shelves and grab any backpack or tote bag that looked interesting. Unknowing ride passengers have just made their wallet, cell phone, keys and personal information available to a complete stranger. Next time, opt for a zip lock bag to store your valuables, place them inside a backpack and take everything with you on the water ride. So what if your tote gets wet; your personal information will remain secure at your side. Continue reading
Little Boy Left Unattended in Store
I was at Target this weekend with my teenager. As I waited near the entrance to the dressing room I witnessed this scene:
Mother walked up to the fitting room with two children – a little girl approximately three years old and a boy who was no more four or five. The mom and little girl went in to try on bathing suits. They had at least six different suits in hand (this is relevant as it shows they were going to be in there a while). The mom parked the little boy well out of reach and out of view of the dressing rooms and instructed him to stay in the cart and wait there. Away mom and sister went – out of sight, out of ear shot and out of reach. The little boy was left totally unattended.
I understand that mom may have wanted her son to stay in the cart to keep him out of trouble; yet he was a sitting duck. The store was very busy and there were a lot of people coming and going. It would have been so easy for anyone to grab the cart and sweep the little boy away without anyone noticing. Continue reading
