Ya ya I know...most folks here would have already thought of this or better but figured i'd post it anyways.
Here's the best solution... Don't bring gold and expensive electronics with you. --OR-- Don't fly at all.
When I own my very own airline, that's when I will choose to exercise my rights. As long as I am standing on somebody else's property, I cannot expect to override the rights of the property owner. This is common law, and Constitutionally sound.
Or simply lock the small items in the lockable case? Or run the tabs together on the big bag (there are often two for opening in both directions) and padlocking that with a small master padlock? the cloth bag....dumb. simply pass the tab through the end loop and cable or lock, it can no longer be opened. if i were a thief, i would have a small pair of "dikes" in hand. no cable or zip-tie would last more than a second. And we use large zip-ties, some of them cost us more than $8. each.
This is just way to dumb, on it's face..... If you WATCH you bag going INTO and OUT OF the X-ray Machine, and keep you EYE on it in the Tray all the while it is ON the Belt, there is close to ZERO Chance of Carry-On Stuff going Rogue.... If the TSA demands to search INSIDE your BAG, BriefCase, or whatever, they MUST have you present, to even OPEN it UP, and you get to WATCH them doing whatever Search they are doing. Where stuff gets stolen, by TSA, is in your Checked Baggage, which is searched OUTSIDE your presents. The way to deal with this, is to place, and declare, a Handgun, in your Checked Baggage. It must be in a HARD SIDE CASE that LOCKS, and be LOCKED. It must be UnLoaded, and Ammo inside the Case MUST be in an Approved Container. (OEM Box, Third Party BOX, but NOT a Magazine, or Speed Loader, as they are NOT Approved) Once that piece of Checked Baggage is accepted by the Airline, it goes thru a separate Screening Process, and if they need to OPEN the Baggage, or CASE, they MUST Do it in your Presents, and TSA by their OWN Regulations, may NOT handle, or even Touch, a FireArm during such an Inspection. If there is a problem, (which almost NEVER happens) they MUST call, the local Airport Police, to deal with the FireArm, or Ammunition, PERIOD. I have a friend who is a Master BladeSmith, who takes up to $100KUS worth of knives, when he travels to shows around the country. He ALWAYS Packs a small Handgun, in the Knife Case, and declares it, as this safeguards his valuable Baggage. If the Baggage is Opened, or the case is tampered with in ANY WAY, he reports it to TSA, and ATF, and a MAJOR Investigation is launched, and someone gets FIRED, and Charged with a Federal Felony. It adds to the traveling Hassels, but you can be SURE, that your expensive stuff will arrive unmolested, at the destination. As an FFL, I do the same thing, with ALL my expensive stuff. I put it all in ONE CHECKED BAG, along with my BROWNING HI-POWER, in it's Case. If it get messed with, TSA and ATF are called Immediately, and Deep Crap happens.... .....
Would not the same procedure happen, with a non-existent but declared gun? And would any law be broken by the false claim? i doubt they would scan it first. That false claim would allow for the special procedure, and a non-existent gun could not be packed in violation of any rule by mistake (loaded mag)
I suspect they would want to completely inspect that Bag to find out why the can NOT see the Declared Weapon.... Not a good Idea to mess with TSA, and give them more Questions than Answers....
I don't know...last woman TSA I dealt with for a pat-down, I told her I wanted dinner first and maybe a movie got me a smile at least. but then, i have been know to be a smart @ss, from time to time....
I had a run-in with the TSA, in Austin, Tx. on this exact Issue, @fedorthedog a few years back, and they Insisted that Loaded Magazines, or Speed Loaders were NOT FAA Approved Cartridge Cases. This went clear up to the Head Airport TSA Agent. (the one in the Classy Business Suit, with the Sleeve Mic, and Ear Bud, on his Comm Gear) I was forced to relinquish the extra Cartridges, that would NOT fit in the OEM Box, after unLoading the Magazines, to the local Airport LEO on Duty. I got the TSA Dudes Card, and Badge Number, while Momma sat across the way recording the encounter with her Cellphone. I did make an Official Complaint, to both the TSA and FAA on the incident. TSA in WASH D.C. said that it was NOT their Policy to enforce this FAA Regulation, but they stood behind their Guy. The FAA stated that they did have such a Regulation but had not made a BIG Deal about enforcement, in the past. This was the FIRST I had ever heard of such a Regulation in 40 years of traveling with the SAME Weapon in the SAME CASE. I have never been, confronted by this Regulation since, in any TSA Screening of my Baggage, at ANY other airport. SO, I just now make SURE, that the OEM Box has enough empty places, for ALL the Cartridges, that are in the Magazines in the Case, BEFORE I get to the airport. The side-note on this experience is, TSA employees may NEVER actually Touch the Weapon, or Ammunition, but MUST ALWAYS get the local LEO to do so, or the Owner. PERIOD. It is like Professional Instant Poison for them to do so, by their OWN REGULATIONS. ALL they are allowed to do is swab the Outside of the CASE, with the Chemical Swab, and TEST that for NitroOrganics. (which will usually come back Positive... Duh....) and then direct the Owner to Open the Case for Inspection of the contents. I had a nice chat with the Austin Airport LEO after leaving the TSA Area. He wanted to know about the Loading of the 15 Cartridges, that he assumed possession of, that were in a Blue Laytex Glove supplied by TSA. These were my standard Self-Defense Loads, 125 Grain JHP Projectiles, with 4.5 Grains of Herc Bullseye Powder. Not quite +P, but near enough to qualify. He was smiling, thru the whole episode, and almost burst out laughing, a few times, at some of the TSA Dudes comments, and instructions.