I have read several accounts of ipods, laptops, cell phones etc. being stolen from luggage in the water taxi hold (Belize City to San Pedro). Is this something that is for real, or just hearsay? I posted this under another topic concerning water taxis and had no response. So re-posting it here. Thank you for any replies.

ipods, laptops, cell phones........not the type of things that you want to leave in your luggage no matter where you're traveling.

I have only used the water taxi a few times and the last time was 3 or 4 years ago. Never had anything stolen. The ones that I took didn't stow bags in a "hold" persay. The bags were stowed under the seats and I was able to see my bags at all times. Granted this may certainly have changed in recent years with the changes to the taxi companies and such.

Like traveling any place w/ a lot of people - never leave your things unattended. I too have used the water taxi's a number of times and never had any thing taken either by pick pocket or from luggage.

As always use general caution when traveling any where and you should be fine.

Enjoy the sun, sand and belikins!

Not sure how someone gets access to luggage thats in the hold of the boat. Maybe little men hid down there waiting for bags with laptops in them to be stowed away. I regularly buy stuff in Belize City and have them deliver to either the San Pedro Belize Express or the CC water Taxi and they seem to always get it too me. I've lost cell phones from my baggage checked on Mayan Airlines, but my guess is that it was a crime of opportunity, the phones were in a side pocket not in the bag itself. If you have stuff you consider valuable carry it with you, none of the items you mention weigh more than a couple of pounds.

I think you have a better (if thats how you want to describe it) chance of getting ripped at a place like MIA (Missing in Action as I think of Miami Int'l)than the water taxi. I've had a guy mishandle a bag and it fell in the water but the guy jumped in so fast nothing inside even got wet. They were so worried I was going to go ballistic and then so relieved that I started laughing about it. I take that as an indicator that they dont like or want things happening to peoples stuff.

I'm aboard with many people here though, you got mission critical items? Carry them with you. Its simply the smart thing to do.

Thanks for all the info...I had read in a couple of places about stuff getting lifted from peoples bags aboard and thought I'd ask. Thanks

"I'm aboard with many people here though, you got mission critical items?" - Mission critical? You've gotta be former military brother!

I have heard one or two comments from people who lost stuff traveling by water taxi. All I can think of is that it had to be in Belize City where they sometimes collect the bags well away from the boat and then hold them til boarding. Still, I find it hard to imagine a location where somebody can really riffle through random bags looking for stuff without being seen and/or caught.
Do you think maybe the victim said to the porter - careful, my camera, laptop and phone are in that bag right there? Now that could be a problem.

Too bad they dont have a "Like" button on the board Diane, I'd have punched it.