# How to keep my items safe



## Sammie (Aug 6, 2019)

Do roomettes have locks? Any tips on keeping my personal items safe from theft?


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## Qapla (Aug 6, 2019)

Roomettes do NOT have locks.
Don't leave valuables out in the open
theft from roomettes is not very common
the car attendant keeps an eye on things


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## SarahZ (Aug 6, 2019)

When I leave my room, I put my laptop in the closet (or under my hoodie/blanket/pillow/etc if the room doesn't have a closet). I carry my purse and phone with me at all times.

I also close the curtains and the door. That way, people walking by can't tell if the room is occupied or not.


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## pennyk (Aug 6, 2019)

roomettes have locks on the inside. When you are inside your roomette, you can lock it. Most people hide their valuables, close their curtains and close the door when leaving their roomette to go to the lounge car, dining car, etc.

Sleeping car attendants generally keep an eye on who is coming and going. Coach passengers are not permitted to walk through sleeper cars (generally).


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## Devil's Advocate (Aug 6, 2019)

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.


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## ehbowen (Aug 6, 2019)

Devil's Advocate said:


> 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.



Most thieves are unwilling to spend $1000 on a sleeper ticket in order to score $100 worth of used laptop....


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## zephyr17 (Aug 6, 2019)

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.


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## Sauve850 (Aug 6, 2019)

Devil's Advocate said:


> 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.


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## bratkinson (Aug 6, 2019)

zephyr17 said:


> 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.



If I'm going to be out of my roomette for more than a couple minutes such as heading to the diner, I'll close the drapes, close the door, then put a couple of wood shims high on the door to keep it closed. Quite often, the door doesn't stay completely closed if it isn't locked from the inside.


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## zephyr17 (Aug 6, 2019)

Sauve850 said:


> Perhaps because there is really no escape route immediately for the thief and thats what they want.


In any case, theft really does not appear to be a problem on Amtrak sleeping cars


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## AutoTrDvr (Aug 6, 2019)

I concur with most of the above. And even more so on the Auto Train where there aren't intermediate station stops, so less chance of a thief being successful at "walking off" the train. But yes, keep the curtains closed and eveything else hidden in closets/compartments or luggage when going to the lounge or diner cars.


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## Devil's Advocate (Aug 6, 2019)

ehbowen said:


> Most thieves are unwilling to spend $1000 on a sleeper ticket in order to score $100 worth of used laptop....


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.



Sauve850 said:


> Perhaps because there is really no escape route immediately for the thief and thats what they want.


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.


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## ehbowen (Aug 7, 2019)

Devil's Advocate said:


> 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.



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.


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## drdumont (Aug 13, 2019)

> How Amtrak avoids rampant unmitigated theft remains a mystery to me.



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.


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## Qapla (Aug 13, 2019)

I have heard that a number of people put their stuff on the upper bed and then push the bed up ... it stays well protected and out of sight


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## PVD (Aug 13, 2019)

much easier on a VL than a SL......


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## Devil's Advocate (Aug 15, 2019)

ehbowen said:


> 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.


Identity theft is a tedious process for a petty thief but a personal laptop with populated web logins is easy money.



drdumont said:


> 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.


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.


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## Sauve850 (Aug 15, 2019)

Hell, we've all pretty much been hacked as far as personal identities. Equifax, Marriott, Capitol One and 25 others. For what its worth my credit accounts have been frozen for years long before lots of these hacks and my laptop is as protected as I can make it. 

Sorry you have lost things. In 30+ years in bedrooms Ive never had a problem thankfully.


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## dande (Sep 23, 2019)

Sammie said:


> Do roomettes have locks? Any tips on keeping my personal items safe from theft?


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 roomette


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## zephyr17 (Sep 23, 2019)

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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## Qapla (Sep 23, 2019)

I have left my tablet sitting on my seat in coach because it was charging while I went to the cafe/lounge car and it was still there when I returned.


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## pennyk (Sep 23, 2019)

zephyr17 said:


> 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.


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).


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## SarahZ (Sep 23, 2019)

pennyk said:


> Sometimes *I will take my laptop to the lounge car*, but only when I intend to use it.


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## Sauve850 (Sep 23, 2019)

zephyr17 said:


> 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.


I have done the same thing too, forever.


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## drdumont (Sep 23, 2019)

"There's something about a train..."
In all my travels on AMTRAK in coach or First, I have never had anything disturbed. While I certainly don't leave my wallet or obvious valuables out, I usually leave my laptop running, closed on my seat in my roomette or bedroom. I've also usually got a jug of corn squeezings, maybe a book and of course a bag on the floor. I close the door, close the curtains, and never have I had any indication that anything has been disturbed, nor have I had anything molested that I have left in the downstairs luggage area. 
Almost like there is a "code" amongst AMTRAK riders. Naturally, I don't really tempt anyone, but it is almost like there is a code of conduct amongst a certain class of travelers.


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## Rasputin (Sep 23, 2019)

The only thing that I ever lost on a train was a jacket which was stolen on the Floridian in 1972. I was travelling overnight in coach and I had gone to the lounge car to have a beer. I left my camera bag on my seat and put my jacket over it. When I returned, the jacket was gone but the camera bag was fortunately still there. As I recall, in 1972 funds the jacket had cost about $30. The camera bag and equipment was probably worth about $250. I considered myself kind of lucky although it was a nuisance having to get a new jacket.

It was a beige Woolwich jacket. I had once spilled French salad dressing on the jacket. It left a large stain which never came out. If anyone sees the jacket, please let me know.


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## me_little_me (Sep 24, 2019)

My wife takes her purse but other than that, laptops, tablets, other valuables - all remain in the room (but covered so they are not obvious). We also leave the curtain and door closed.


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