As police hunt for a serial luggage thief who has targeted Denver International Airport for more than five months, Wyoming travelers are on alert while Cowboy State airports say their passengers shouldn’t fear their baggage will walk off.
Airports in Wyoming aren’t popular with baggage thieves, who usually prefer larger operations like DIA that offer more crowds, more luggage, and more opportunity — as the monthslong hunt for someone who keeps stealing bags 90 minutes south of Cheyenne shows, said Robert Siciliano, a cybersecurity expert and chief executive officer of Protect Now LLC.
“Think smaller airports versus larger international airports, sparsely populated regions have less (thefts)," Siciliano said in an email to the Cowboy State Daily.
Being small can have big advantages.
Earlier this year, Airport Advisor recognized Casper/Natrona County International Airport — where it is only a 2-minute walk from the gate to the lone luggage carousel — for having the nation’s second safest baggage claim area behind Helena Regional Airport in Montana.
The short distance between the gate and the carousel is a significant deterrent for luggage thieves, said Katie Reed, communications and air service manager for Casper/Natrona County International Airport.
“It's a lot harder for a thief to grab a bag,” said Read, adding that airport public safety officers keep a close eye on the carousel.
DIA is a main hub for a lot of Wyoming travelers, which puts their baggage at risk with the millions of other pieces of luggage that tempt those like the at-large serial baggage thief.
Bigger Trouble At Big Airports
While she has to be alert in big airports like DIA, which can be challenging, flying from Casper is pleasant, said local traveler Heather Ross-Murray.
“It can be confusing in larger airports to find the right baggage claim area, and it's usually a longer walk to get them,” said Ross-Murray, who lives in Casper.
There are no problems with thefts at the Jackson Hole Airport, which had 527,292 departures in 2024, said Jeremy K. Barnum, the airport’s chief communications officer.
“Due to the size and design of the airport, deplaning passengers have a very short walk to the baggage claim area of the airport and usually arrive well before their baggage,” Barnum said.
Jackson Hole Airport also has a fully staffed Host Team in the baggage claim area and security personnel to help ensure passengers have a safe, secure, and positive experience.
Meanwhile at DIA, the challenge for Denver police is to catch the slender, heavily tattooed man suspected of brazenly stealing numerous suitcases from arriving passengers between June and October.
There have been 49 reported baggage thefts so far this year from the DIA terminal and parking facilities compared to 43 in 2024, said Denver police Sgt. Jay Casillas.
Police haven't released information regarding how many of those are linked to the man wanted for questioning.
Siciliano speculated the DIA thief may be pilfering luggage to support a drug problem.
“This is not someone who is stealing luggage to pay the bills,” he said. “It's someone who is desperate, and that someone, unless they've already decided it's a single person, is probably more than just one person working together.”
Theft A Global Problem
Stolen and misplaced luggage is a global problem for airports and airlines.
In 2023, more than 36 million bags were mishandled, meaning they were lost or stolen, costing carriers about $2 billion, according to SITA, a major information technology provider for the airline industry.
DIA, with 27 luggage carousels, handled about 12 million domestic, international, and oversize bags within the last year.
While Casper's airport is the nation's second-safest for luggage, Airport Advisor ranked DIA as the nation’s sixth most “lawless” baggage claim airport based on Google ratings, Yelp reviews, lost luggage searches, and a 23-minute walking time from gates to the baggage claim.
Large, bustling airports like DIA are prime hunting grounds for thieves, who blend in with the crush of passengers departing and arriving, Siciliano said.
“The airport is a confusing place,” he added. “Literally lots of moving parts, and most people don't head to the airport more than once or twice a year. It's overwhelming, and a perfect place for a thief to take advantage of the general chaos and confusion.”
Thieves can often go undetected, even in a scrum of passengers crowded around a carousel.
“A luggage thief can hang out with passengers who are there waiting for their bag and grab somebody else's bag, and if a passenger sees the thief with the bag, the thief's excuse is ‘oh sorry, my mistake,’ and there would not be a problem,” he said.
How Not To Get Robbed
Additionally, those who steal are often selective, choosing expensive luggage over cheap-looking bags, while using luggage tags to guide them, according to Siciliano.
“Either could contain valuables, but the luggage tag showing the address of where the person lives can give the thief an idea if they are living in a moneyed neighborhood versus a low-income neighborhood,” he said.
To combat luggage theft, new technologies such as radio frequency identification, AI-powered logistics, and Bluetooth tags are being used at airports to improve tracking.
Meanwhile, experts recommend that travelers take steps to protect themselves, including:
- Equipping luggage with Transportation Safety Administration-approved locks.
- Placing an Apple AirTag in baggage.
- Choosing colorful luggage or adding colorful stickers and ribbons to make bags noticeable.
- Using luggage wrapping.
- Tightening straps to keep bags tight to prevent thieves from opening them.
- Keeping valuables, such as jewelry, electronics, and cash, in carry-on baggage.
- Going straight to baggage claim after arrival.
Scott Schwebke can be reached at scott@cowboystatedaily.com.
