Dear editor,

I've been going back and forth into Cambodia since 1994 now,

and for two years my wife and I lived there. During our time there I've had my

share of experiences. I was held up at gunpoint in the afternoon one Sunday and

relieved of my moto and shortly afterward our home had nighttime visitors who

relieved us of our computer and communication equipment.

Yesterday on our

way home back to Thailand we were again reminded of former days in Cambodia. Our

luggage locks were all picked and whatever was wanted was taken.

I'm

writing in the hope that you will print this for travelers to beware. In the

time it took for baggage handlers to pick all three locks on my suitcase, go

through every pocket and open contents inside (doing the same to my wife's

baggage as well) and then relocking it tells me this is not the case of one

quick-fingered handler. There must be a team of thieves working together and

splitting the take after selling the goods ... like my nice digital

camera.

Please let your readers know that nothing in their baggage is

safe. Our locks were not cheap luggage locks but good quality locks. These

people are bold and brazen.

- Jim Hayes, [email protected]