"John G" wrote

I had an uncle who actually was a jewelry trader before airport scanners.
In fact he mainly traveled by train and would just throw his brief case on
the rack as though it was only office papers etc believing if it looked
innocuous nobody would touch it.

--
John G

I was parking cars at the Desert Inn, about 1980. They allowed the "girls"
to come in and cruise the bar, as it was good for business. The "regulars"
would always try to make sure their Johns made it to the tables, so the
hotel got a crack at them. Then they had a "trick roll" where a guy lost
$700,000 in jewelry during the jewelry show. Slipped him a Mickey, IIRC.
After that, they cracked down on all the "girls". They had security at the
door, and if they made it past security, they didn't last more than ten
minutes. It really cut into our business, particularly on graveyard where
it was almost all hookers and lounge lizards.

I also worked the jewelry conventions in my last Teamster years, too old to
run for cars. It was the only show that had their own ARMED Pinkerton
guards. Stuff would come in those belly tanks that are wheeled right off
the plane. Lots of serious looking men, dressed all in black, wearing a
firearm, Taser, nighstick, and pepper spray. There were a few "incidents",
but not many at the conventions. Mainly teams working in harmony. There
were many more "incidents" away from the conventions at the hotels. Your
uncle, I am sure was a careful man, and probably had a good read on people.
But you do have to admit that the whole world has changed since then.

Steve