You should include Ladies also.
Don't know about BNE procedures, but it's preferable to put any valuable items in your bag rather than being left out in the open where someone might inadvertently take it. Place them in a LAGs bag inside your carry on and they'll be easy to find later. While you were quite happy to take responsibility I've seen others who weren't and are all to eager to make a scene.
Remeber that screening staff are just normal people. And like the rest of the population some of them a nice polite with common sense, others are tossers.