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Video shows how to open a zipped bag, leaving lock intact

Zipped it, locked it. And all secure?

Not quite, going by this video doing the rounds online.

It shows how you can open a bag with a locked zipper, using a simple ball-point pen.

The tip of the pen is pushed through the teeth of the zipper, forcing them apart.

And there, the bag is open.

The lock is not picked or tampered with at all.

By moving it back along the zipper, the bag can be closed again.

And it looks like it was never opened after it was locked.

 

@raudshazali

Why locks are useless. Use seals or latches on your luggage!

♬ original sound - Raudhah?

 

That should make you pause when you are packing, now that post-pandemic travel is taking off.

Reactions to the video have varied, with some glad to have been made aware of the vulnerability and others asking: Hey, you just want to teach crooks another trick or what?

Well, there are simple solutions.

One is to get your bag wrapped in plastic. This service is available at Changi Airport for just $5.

Another is to buy a luggage strap.

PHOTO: AMAZON

Like the wrap, it also has the advantage of preventing your bag from bursting open during the journey.

If you have the tendency to cram too much into your bags, this can be a real danger, and can cause not just possible loss of your stuff but serious embarassment as well.

A cross strap is recommended, but a single one, passed through the bag handle and well secured, should do the trick as well.

AIRPORTSluggageSECURITY ISSUES