S
Sammie
Guest
Do roomettes have locks? Any tips on keeping my personal items safe from theft?
A thief with working eyes and ears, a functioning short term memory, and a little situational awareness could reliably monitor if you're in your room or not. How Amtrak avoids rampant unmitigated theft remains a mystery to me.
Perhaps because there is really no escape route immediately for the thief and thats what they want.A thief with working eyes and ears, a functioning short term memory, and a little situational awareness could reliably monitor if you're in your room or not. How Amtrak avoids rampant unmitigated theft remains a mystery to me.
ridden for thousands of miles in roomettes. I just put any valuables away where they cannot be easily seen, and close the curtain and door when I leave the room. I've never had a problem and never heard of anyone having a problem.
In any case, theft really does not appear to be a problem on Amtrak sleeping carsPerhaps because there is really no escape route immediately for the thief and thats what they want.
You can buy a short range sleeper ticket for a tiny fraction of that cost under a fake name with little chance of an identification check. Even a cheap laptop will often contain personal information worth thousands. Amtrak safety relies almost entirely on security through obscurity.Most thieves are unwilling to spend $1000 on a sleeper ticket in order to score $100 worth of used laptop....
Petty thieves need an escape route while proper thieves only need a plan that ensures they won't be caught. Amtrak staff is not going to search a theif's room or luggage just because you claim your stuff is missing. From their perspective it's just as likely that you're the one trying to scam them.Perhaps because there is really no escape route immediately for the thief and thats what they want.
You can buy a short range sleeper ticket for a tiny fraction of that cost under a fake name with little chance of an identification check. Even a cheap laptop will often contain personal information worth thousands. Amtrak safety relies almost entirely on security through obscurity.
How Amtrak avoids rampant unmitigated theft remains a mystery to me.
Identity theft is a tedious process for a petty thief but a personal laptop with populated web logins is easy money.If identity theft and financial fraud is the objective, as opposed to petty theft of belongings, I would think that there are easier and more effective ways to go about it which do not expose the thief to discovery in a limited space with no ready escape route. Please note that I'm not disagreeing with your "security through obscurity" comment; just pointing out that there are additional factors in play which make these exploits less attractive to perpetrators.
I've lost important and expensive items on Amtrak and nothing has ever been recovered after the fact. Asking about missing items seems to annoy the staff and all they've ever been able to tell me is that I should call my insurance company. Yeah, thanks. That being said I have no evidence of actual maliciousness.I've always kindasorta thought that amongst First Class Amtrakers and Coach Class Amtrakers who really like to ride Amtrak, there is a thought of honor. In my own private iimaginary world of cute cuddly kittens and puppies, free love and nickel beer, I'd like to think that is why.
But I've not had an issue. Of course, I don't tempt fate. Put things in your bag and up in the overhead. Carry your purse and your wallet. And I generally close the curtain, close the door and wedge it with my anti rattle wedge.
Will also have a roomette soon and husband thinks we should carry our ipads and kindles with us when we leave the room. Sounds like they should be okay in the roometteDo roomettes have locks? Any tips on keeping my personal items safe from theft?
I, too, have traveled many miles in roomettes and bedrooms and never carry anything with me that I do not intend to use. Sometimes I will take my laptop to the lounge car, but only when I intend to use it. When I leave the room to go for a walk or for a meal, I will put my laptop either in my backpack or in my duffle. I also close curtains and door (even though sometimes the movement of the train will cause the door to open).I've traveled tens, possibly hundreds, of thousands of miles in roomettes and never carry anything with me out of the roomette that I don't intend to use. I have left laptops and expensive camera gear in my roomette as well as my Kindle and tablets and I have never had a problem. I just make sure it is not visible if someone should open the door, in the closet or under a pillow, and I draw the curtain and close the door when I leave. I never worry about it.
Sometimes I will take my laptop to the lounge car, but only when I intend to use it.
I have done the same thing too, forever.I've traveled tens, possibly hundreds, of thousands of miles in roomettes and never carry anything with me out of the roomette that I don't intend to use. I have left laptops and expensive camera gear in my roomette as well as my Kindle and tablets and I have never had a problem. I just make sure it is not visible if someone should open the door, in the closet or under a pillow, and I draw the curtain and close the door when I leave. I never worry about it.
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