This goes on at many large airports. The fancier your luggage is, the more it attracts attention by the wrong sort of people.
Also, many people no longer lock their luggage to make it easier for airline security to do a search. I think this is a mistake. It virtually invites theft.
My checked bag always has a brightly colored, nylon zip tie through the zipper pulls, even if the bag has a TSA-compliant lock built in.
I get these neon-colored ties in the electrical aisle of my DIY store. Each trip, I change the color and keep a small supply in my carry-on.
The benefit is to secure the checked bag from being opened easily, and to provide a clear signal to me when I next see the bag at baggage claim, that someone has been in my bag.
This can be very important if you are flying into a country with the death penalty for drug smuggling. If you can tell that your bag was tampered with, you can NOT TOUCH IT, and summon officials. Let them handle and open the bag.
It works for me.