Whether you are traveling domestically or internationally, keeping yourself and your belongings safe in an unfamiliar environment is especially important. In this guide, I will provide essential anti-theft tips I have learned over ~15 years as a travel blogger and digital nomad.
Travel is by no means dangerous, but it does come with some inherent risks. We are suddenly forced to carry many valuable items on our person, or sometimes worse, leave them unattended back in the room. What’s more, thieves make their living by identifying vulnerable tourists.
4 years into my life of full-time travel I believed I was impervious to theft. Then I experienced my first big loss. After spending the night photographing eruptions at Guatemala’s Vulcan Fuego, I took the local bus back to my hotel. I rushed onto a very full bus and made the mistake of allowing my backpack to be stored with all the other bags on top. Unfortunately, I never saw it, nor any of those photos ever again.
This painful lesson taught me the golden rule of preventing theft while traveling: keep your bag attached to your person at all times. Even if it means a long journey with a bag on your lap, and even if a local is pressuring you to do otherwise, keep that thing attached!
There are other tips, hacks, and suggestions that I picked up over the years that I want to share with you today to make youtube travels safer and more worry-free.
- Pre-Travel Tips for Preventing Theft
- How to Secure Items Your Travel Bag
- Essential Anti-Theft Travel Strategies
- Theft Prevention FAQs
Pre-Travel Tips for Preventing Theft
Safe travel begins long before you reach your destination. After all, being proactive is better than being reactive! Adequately preparing for your trip ahead of time gives you the best chance for you and your valuables to return home safely together.
Choose the Right Bag
Your travel bag will be your dearest travel companion. After 15 years of travel, I believe that there is no better companion than a backpack. While your rolling luggage will typically stay behind in your room, your backpack can be with you every day.
When choosing the right backpack, you want to focus on comfort and features. There is always a trade-off in price vs quality, but remember that a good backpack is something you will use every day while traveling as well as at home.
Comfort comes from proper sizing, lightweight materials, multiple carry options, and padded back support. Additionally, extensive compartmentalization and internal organization is important for keeping the weight of your bag balanced while also keeping items safe during transport.
The most relevant safety features to look for in the perfect travel backpack are lockable zipper sliders, RFID-blocking pockets, durable materials, hidden pockets, and waterproofing. The importance of these items will be discussed throughout this guide.
Utilize Anti-Theft Travel Gear
- TSA-Approved Padlock: This is the most essential piece of anti-theft travel gear I recommend everyone use. A TSA-approved lock is an easy way to prevent pickpocketing in crowded places, especially on public transport!
- GPS Tracker: I also like to keep a GPS tracker hidden in my backpack at all times, such as the Apple AirTag. These small, discrete devices provide the only meaningful chance of recovering a stolen bag.
- Locking Cables: Many travelers like to bring a locking cable similar to what you would use for securing a bicycle. Personally, I have rarely encountered situations where this is necessary, but it is worth considering if you are likely to have to leave your bag unattended on your trip.
- RFID Blocking Wallet or Pocket: Scammers can steal information using radio frequencies from any chip, such as that on your passport and credit card, by only getting in close proximity to it. RFID-blocking technology prevents this.
>> MORE: How to Make a Perfect Travel Packing List
Choose Secure Accommodations
Leaving your items unattended makes them vulnerable. When booking accommodation, do your research to ensure the ratings are reputable and that it is in a safe neighborhood. If possible, make sure that in-room safes are provided.
Some other quick tips on securing your accommodation are:
- Set up your safe with a new passcode when you arrive and always store valuables there.
- Leave the DO NOT DISTURB sign on your door to dissuade entry, even by staff.
- Request rooms on higher floors. This prevents window access and thieves prefer to target the first floors for quicker getaways.
How to Secure Items in Your Backpack
While there is a niche market for anti-theft backpacks, with a few easy upgrades, most backpacks can easily keep your belongings safe in any environment. In my opinion, it is better to prioritize comfort and function over built-in security features. This is because the best way to keep your backpack safe is not tech - it’s YOU!
Keep valuables concealed
One of the best ways to keep your valuables safe from opportunistic thieves is to keep them out of sight. Utilize hidden pockets in your backpack or opt for on-body storage such as a neck pouch or money belt worn under clothing. Knack’s expandable backpacks feature multiple hidden pockets and zip-away compartments for safe storage.
While it might feel comfortable to slip your phone or wallet into your back pocket, this makes it an easy target for a pickpocket. Remember this rule: if it’s visible, it’s vulnerable.
Split up your valuables
When you travel, it’s important to split up your valuables to minimize the risk of losing everything in one isolated incident. By keeping cash, cards, and important documents in different locations, you can limit the damage if you are a target of theft and have backup options available.
Personally, in addition to a credit card and cash in my wallet, I also keep some cash and a backup debit card in a hidden pocket in my backpack.
Utilize pockets correctly
Ensure you place valuables in the innermost, zipped pockets of your bag where they are hardest to access. If possible, use a small travel padlock to further secure them by locking all your backpack’s main compartments.
Some backpacks, such as the Knack Series 2, come with built-in RFID-blocking materials. This is where any chipped items, such as passports and credit cards, should be stored to avoid phishers stealing personal information.
Secure your backpack to a stationary object
I can’t tell you how many travelers I have met who have had their bags stolen off the floor or the back of their chairs at a restaurant or cafe. The easiest way to avoid this is to loop the strap(s) of your bag underneath the chair leg so it cannot be taken while you are seated.
>> MORE: The Best Size of Backpack for Travel
Essential Anti-Theft Travel Strategies
The vast majority of robberies that occur are simply crimes of opportunity. Either a person, place, or item of value is seen as vulnerable and the thief looks for a quick, easy payday. Therefore, the safest thing you can do is be mindful of your situation and environment.
Stay Aware of Your Surroundings
Being aware of your surroundings is the single most important way of keeping yourself, and your belongings, safe. Every city in the world has good and bad parts of town - your first job is to know them. Remember though, crimes of opportunity can even happen in upscale areas!
Pickpockets love a crowd, where some amount of contact is unavoidable. In crowded places, ensure nothing is in your pockets except for your hands and always wear your backpack on your chest.
Thieves also thrive on the “digital zombies” who are so absorbed by their phones or cameras that they don’t see any danger coming. Whenever your phone or camera is out, be extra mindful of your surroundings.
And, as mentioned, never leave items on the floor, the backs of chairs, or even on the table at restaurants, bars, and cafes.
Avoid Flashy Displays of Wealth
There is no faster way to get onto a criminal’s radar than to show them something worth taking. Walking around with flashy watches, large cameras, and brand-new iPhones is a great way to lose them. Instead, keep those items concealed, except when in use, and always examine your surroundings before pulling them out.
Choose Secure Modes of Transport
In the US and international destinations alike, public transport is the most likely place for theft to occur. This is because you are often rushed to and from places in a frenzy when your guard is down while being surrounded by frantic people. All of this activity makes it easy for nimble hands to remove items from unsecured places. If you take public transportation, ensure nothing is in your pockets and keep your bag in front of you at all times.
If you need to take any long-haul buses or trains, keep everything valuable in your backpack attached to you rather than stowed away with luggage.
>> MORE: How to Pack a Carry-On Travel Backpack
FAQs
What are some tips for keeping my valuables safe inside my backpack?
The best way to keep valuables safe inside your backpack is to keep your bag in sight and physically attached to you at all times. Beyond that, using a backpack with slash-proof material and securing the zippers with a padlock makes it nearly impossible for pickpockets to get in.
Should I put an AirTag in my luggage?
Using an AirTag in your backpack and/or luggage provides you with the best chance of recovery in the event of theft. If you can pin down the location of the bag, police will typically assist you with its retrieval. Additionally, an AirTag can help get your luggage back sooner if an airline loses it.
Should I put my passport in an RFID wallet?
Any chipped items, such as passports and credit cards, should be kept in an RFID-secure location during travel, if possible. This prevents would-be scammers from gaining access to those items using radio-based devices that can hijack your information by simply being in close proximity.
