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2016-05-17 06:36:12
May 13th 2016, 10:00 by J.J.C.
THEFT is an occupational hazard for business travellers. Unfamiliar locations, jet lag and living out of a suitcase make them an easy target for criminals. Even the most careful traveller has tales of stolen bags, picked pockets or hotel-room burglaries. Your correspondent has lost a camera fending off unwanted affections in China, a phone on Delhi's crowded metro (amazingly later recovered) and plenty of wallets over the years.
But traditionally airline cabins have offered refuge from thieves. After all, passengers are logged and named and hand luggage is rarely more than a few metres away from its owner under the watchful eyes of other passengers and a professional crew.
Spare a thought then for a Turkish businessman who had HK$2m ($260,000) in cash and luxury goods stolen on a recent flight to Hong Kong, the largest reported pilferage of its kind to date. The haul comprised $200,000 in cash along with two luxury watches, highlighting a growing number of inflight thefts taking place, especially it seems, to and from greater China.
Authorities have repeatedly warned that professional criminal gangs are targeting passengers. Other incidents have been reported over the last year. The Hong Kong police recorded a 25% rise in the number of cabin robberies in 2015, with 60 reported incidents. Gangs are now thought to have identified targets before even boarding.
Surprisingly, given the value of his carry-on luggage, the Turkish businessman was travelling in economy class, but flying business class does not guarantee greater security. In fact thieves may travel in business class to increase the wealth and scope of their targets.
Despite the low rate of thefts (Hong Kong international airport welcomed over 68m passengers in 2015, meaning that such incidents have affected less than one in a million people) the trend is worrying. It is accepted that con artists, pickpockets, and other unsavoury types will gravitate towards new arrivals at a destination. But planes are supposed to be a haven where travellers can sit back, watch a film, sleep or work with a relaxing drink.
Calls for greater vigilance are also perhaps unfair. Passengers are required to put bags in overhead lockers, sometimes rows away. On long-haul flights sleep is often a necessity and few can be vigilant the entire time. One solution might be to ask flight attendants to stow precious items in a safe place but this will become unworkable if every passenger wants that. On the other hand perhaps more vigilance is required, especially in this case. Not many people would dream of letting $260,000 worth of valuables out of their sight.