Originally Posted by
raffele
Shrink wrapping luggage is the best way (apart from obviously not taking luggage) to deter theft from your luggage/people slipping unwanted items into your luggage. There are places like Jo'burg where you don't want to risk having things put into your bags.
I noticed these services first in South America in 2000. Didn't understand what they were for until I flew from La Paz to Santiago and found the top pocket of my backpack emptied on arrival. Just a Swiss army knife and a Maglite gone, but still... (I had a few weeks earlier "lost" my camera gear in Peru
, so wasn't shocked too much anymore. I guess the cameras are still on sale in Ica)
Still didn't use the shrink wrap service afterwards, though, but kept everything valuable in hand luggage. Baggage handlers are welcome to keep my dirty underwear.