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Swiss Army Knife Stolen

Swiss Army Knife StolenSomewhere between my Jet Blue flight out of Rochester, New York and landing in San Jose, Costa Rica on Mexicana Airlines my coveted Swiss army knife was stolen. This morning I went to get it out of my check-in bag,and it was gone. In its place was a ticket saying that the [...]

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Swiss Army Knife Stolen


Somewhere between my Jet Blue flight out of Rochester, New York and landing in San Jose, Costa Rica on Mexicana Airlines my coveted Swiss army knife was stolen. This morning I went to get it out of my check-in bag,and it was gone. In its place was a ticket saying that the bag was searched by airport security. Searched, yes, and pilfered.

I have checked in this knife on dozens of flights before without incident. Now, I suppose someone just decided they wanted it, and therefore took it. It just seems as if it was almost too easy of a theft.

I have had items stolen from me before out of my checked-in baggage, and I really do not know how to subvert this, save not checking in any bags. You cannot lock your check in baggage, which means that its contents are fair game for every theif that feels the need to dig through it. I cannot bring my knives on the plane with me, so how can I prevent them from being stolen?

I can’t, it is as simple as that. This is the second knife that I have had stolen from my bags (both times in Latin America). Once on a flight from Punta Areanas, Chile to Santiago I have even had my medicine kit theived. I suppose the price to pay for the conveinence of flying is being robbed.

I usually hide my knives in clothing pockets or some other disclosed place in my bag to prevent their theif, but this time I just threw it in with everything . . . and it did not end up with me at my destination.

I finally lost my Swiss Army knife.

Ubertramp, you now can have a vengeful laugh.

Wade from Vagabond Journey.com
San Jose, Costa Rica
January 22, 2008

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About the Author:

I am the founder and editor of Vagabond Journey. I’ve been traveling the world since 1999, through 91 countries. I am the author of the book, Ghost Cities of China and have written for The Guardian, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Diplomat, the South China Morning Post, and other publications. has written 3692 posts on Vagabond Journey. Contact the author.

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  • ReginaPhalange January 9, 2011, 7:28 pm

    From your description, I’d say it was stolen in Rochester rather than San Jose.
    Plenty of people have also had their Swiss Army Knives and multi-tools “confiscated” by the TSA, when they forgot to remove those items from pockets or purses or carry-ons. Ebay is full of auctions of those knives. I consider those confiscations theft and the sale of those knives afterward trafficking in stolen goods, but that’s just me.

    I read on someone’s blog where they chose to pay $8 to ship a $13 multi-tool back home rather than hand it over to the TSA. I love that.

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    • Wade | Vagabond Journey.com January 10, 2011, 1:31 pm

      This was from my checked baggage, not carry on. I highly doubt that TSA would take it, as it is perfectly legal to carry a small pocket knife in your checked bags — especially after passing through Mexico City and San Jose. TSA also has the policy of leaving notes in the bags they hand inspect.

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