# What prevents people from taking somebody else's luggage off airport carousels? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 23, 2005, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067 "2005-05-23T10:56:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/61 "2005-05-27T15:50:37Z")
> [@Rayne Man](#): > > For a minute or so you lose sight of all this stuff while you walk through the metal detector and are possibly frisked. There seems to be nothing in place to prevent anyone just walking off with your possessions as it emerges from the x-ray conveyor belt. Really? It’s invisible in the machine, but otherwise I always have my eyes on my stuff. All you have to do is shout if you see someone rummaging. Once I even expressed concern for my wallet, and they took it and put it aside while they wanded me. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/62 "2005-05-27T16:38:39Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Really? It’s invisible in the machine, but otherwise I always have my eyes on my stuff. All you have to do is shout if you see someone rummaging. Once I even expressed concern for my wallet, and they took it and put it aside while they wanded me. The sort of set-up I have used consists of the x-ray machine with the walk-through metal detector to the side of it. You put your things on the conveyor belt and then have to walk through the metal detector. Sometimes there are a couple of people in front of you also going through. In that time your bag as gone through the machine and is waiting on the other side. It is screened from you by the machine and , as I said, it can be out of your sight for a good minute or so. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/63 "2005-05-28T03:04:37Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > I always pack a bomb in my luggage that only I can defuse. Thus if someone steals my bag, he’ll be justly punished for it. > Of course once I post this, I don’t expect I’ll be flying anytime soon… Especially if your Dopername is your real name. But thats not the case right? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/64 "2005-05-29T01:32:25Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > But you’re trying to tell me that you’d have no problem (after having left the carousel) with wandering through an airport with an unknown suitcase in your hand? 😕 All you have to count on is not running into the rightful owner of the suitcase – AND having him/her recognize it ; otherwise walking through an airport with a suitcase in your hand is completely unremarkable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067.md?page=3)