Travelers from Quebec returning from Mexico have reported alarming thefts from their checked luggage, including designer items and jewelry. Many victims believe these incidents occur during baggage handling at airports. Rodrigue Poulin has experienced multiple thefts over the years, while others like Brandon Saint-Jacques and Frédéric Poirier recount similar losses. Airlines are directing inquiries to Mexican airport authorities, stressing that valuables should not be placed in checked bags, raising concerns about security during travels to Mexico.
Returning home after basking in the warmth of Mexico, some travelers from Quebec faced an unwelcome shock when they discovered that valuable items had been stolen from their checked luggage.
Travelers Share Their Disturbing Experiences
In conversations with various travelers, many from Quebec shared their distressing tales of missing items like designer sunglasses, perfumes, jewelry, and sports apparel while navigating through the airports of Cancun and Puerto Vallarta. These individuals, who have fallen victim to theft, are eager to inform others about the potential risks associated with traveling to Mexico.
The narrative is often similar: victims believe that the thefts occur during the transfer of their checked bags by airport personnel. Rodrigue Poulin, a 54-year-old from Lac-Drolet, Estrie, has noted that these incidents have seemingly become a regular occurrence during his visits to Cancun.
“I was taken aback the first time, but now I’m always a bit astonished by what they choose to take,” he reflects.
Repeated Incidents of Theft
Mr. Poulin has made annual trips to Mexico for several years, but since 2019, he has reported being robbed three times. The first incident involved the disappearance of his Guess sunglasses, valued at approximately $120, while the case remained untouched. In 2022, four of his running shirts went missing, but Air Transat reimbursed him nearly $200 for that loss. Most recently, a Vans hat worth around $50 vanished from his suitcase last April.
Similar experiences have been reported by Brandon Saint-Jacques, a 30-year-old soldier from Saguenay, who had his Versace sunglasses, worth $300, stolen in Cancun last September. “They took my glasses and left the empty case inside,” he recalls, adding that his family members also found their suitcases damaged, with broken tie-wraps and straps.
Frédéric Poirier and his partner, also from Saguenay, faced a similar fate during their recent Cancun vacation. Upon returning, they discovered that three Lacoste perfumes had been stolen from their “completely disheveled” luggage. They were also devastated to find that jewelry, including gold chains and a white gold pendant containing ashes of a loved one, valued at nearly $1,000, was missing. “We have traveled extensively, and this is the first time we’ve encountered such an issue,” he lamented, expressing his intention to stop traveling to Mexico for this reason.
Airlines and Airport Management Respond
Neither Air Canada nor Air Transat could provide specific data regarding thefts from passengers’ luggage in Mexico, directing inquiries to the Mexican airport administration instead. The ASUR group, which oversees operations at Cancun airport, shifted the responsibility to the airlines, emphasizing that they are accountable for their passengers’ luggage, according to spokesperson Araceli Alegría Flores.
On the other hand, Air Transat’s spokesperson, Marie-Christine Pouliot, stated that “valuables such as jewelry or cash are not permitted in checked baggage,” highlighting the importance of travelers being aware of airline policies regarding their belongings.