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Shady Hotel Maids Are Rifling Through Your Stuff: How to Keep It Safe

Who’s doing what with your luggage in the hotel room? (Photo: Thinkstock)

This week, a video of a hotel maid rifling through a guest’s belongings while cleaning his room went viral. While the guest was away, the maid at a “brand-name” hotel is seen taking a long look at a package he’d received, rifling through his video games, apparently trying to access the very laptop that’s recording her, picking up and playing with his tablet, looking inside his luggage, and more.

While the housekeeper in question didn’t take anything, hotel-room theft is a very real problem. “Your first mistake is trusting the hotel staff,” says travel and security expert Chris McGoey. “The hotels say they do background checks on employees, but there’s such high turnover in the industry, it’s not always possible. 

“It’s not your home, so you have to take responsibility for your belongings,” adds McGoey. Here are some easy tips to keep your stuff safe.

Related: What Is She Doing? Hotel Guest Secretly Tapes Maid Messing with His Belongings

1. Keep anything important with you.

Valuables should stay with you. (Photo: Thinkstock)

It’s common sense, but small items like your passport, wallet, smart phone, and even a tablet or a laptop should go where you go.

2. Don’t completely trust the hotel room safe.

“It’s minimal security,” says McGoey, so think about what you’re leaving in there. “It keeps people from immediately accessing your belongings, but there are plenty of stories that the hotel can pretty easily get into the safes.” Instead, if it’s something of real value, ask to use the hotel’s lock box. Nicer hotels will have them — you can put your belongings in and they will give you the key. It’s not foolproof, but it’s likely more secure than the room safe.

3. Put the “do not disturb” sign on your door when you’re not there.

Pretend you're in the room to discourage theft. (Photo: Thinkstock)

Generally, a “do not disturb sign” will keep hotel staff out of your room, and therefore out of your belongings. (But keep in mind that this also means your room won’t be cleaned.)

4. Turn on the TV, too.

To really fool people into thinking you’re in your room, use the “do not disturb” sign and leave the TV on, too, just loud enough that someone stopping by the door can hear it.

5. Get linens from housekeeping in the hallway or while you’re in the room.

You already sneak extra shampoo, just ask for some towels, too. (Photo: Thinkstock)

How many times have you seen a housekeeping cart while walking in the hotel hallway? Just ask for fresh towels then and there. Or call housekeeping and have them bring everything to the door while you’re in your room. That way no one is in space when you’re not, but you still get what you need.

Related: I Got Pickpocketed … in a Cathedral. How to Avoid Being Robbed on a Trip

5. Turn your luggage into a safe.

How do you do that? With a couple of locks. Put your valuables in your suitcase, then lock it with a luggage lock (make it a TSA-friendly lock so you can use it en route). Then use a cable lock to attach the suitcase to heavy furniture or something fixed in the room. You could even use a bike lock.

6. Get a laptop/tablet lock, too.

Better safe than sorry. (Photo: Thinkstock)

If you’re worried about leaving valuable technology in the room, these locks are a good option. Just secure the cable to heavy furniture or a fixed object, then insert the lock into your computer’s lock slot (most computers have them).

Related: Identity Theft While You Travel: How to Protect Yourself

7. Attach a motion sensor alarm to your bag.

It will go off if anyone tries messing with your bag. It’s the same idea as a car alarm — anyone doing anything untoward will hopefully be scared away.

8. Write down the make, model, and serial numbers of your valuables.

This won’t help stop a thief from using or stealing your things, but it will certainly help when it comes to recovery or insurance.

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