Stolen cameras.

<p> This is a warning !<br>

I was prusing the Nikon page on Craigslist,Detroit (Michigan) two days ago when I saw a posting about stolen SD cards. It was from a female who was in Detroit with her brother at a club. When they left the club and returned to their individual vehicles, they found that their vehicles each had a smashed out window and items stolen. Her's was two Nikon cameras with attached lens, an extra lens, tripod, photo accessories, and the camera's backpack. His was a Iphone. They called the Detroit Police and made a report of their theft and damages, She posted on Craigslist a plea to the thief to return the SD cards that they have important images on them and a $100.00(US) reward if the thief would return them and one of the camera's do it's sentimental value.<br>

When I read this it reminds me of some of the camera gear stolen from me in the past, so I respond to her via the Email Link, advising on what to do as to maybe recovering her stuff. She responded back to me the next day that she found her stuff on Ebay and as per my advice to contact the police about it. The Detroit Police said that they don't have the resources or time to investigate such "petty" crimes. I find this to be appalling. They just spent $143 Million on a stupid light rail train from downtown at a distance of just 3.3 miles ! Detroit is in a shambles with a ridiculous crime rate. The worst thing is that Ebay will not stop the sale without contact from the Detroit Police who will not take the time to contact Ebay ! With Ebay already contacted by this female as to her stolen items, and Ebay allowing the sale to go through, Ebay has made themselves an accessory to the crime. Doesn't anybody who reads this find this appalling ?<br>

Last year I saw a posting on Craigslist/ Detroit for sale a brand new in the box Nikon/Nikkor AF-S 105mm f2.8G VR Macro for the unbelievable price of only $160.00(US). This lens sells for $900.00(US) new. I called the attached phone number and spoke to individual who was selling the lens to inquirie if this was indeed the price to which he responded that it was. I felt suspicious of him, so I asked questions as to what camera he was using and said a Canon ! Trying not laugh, I then asked some photography based question which made it obvious that he knew nothing about photography. So I declined to buy it as I felt that I would be purchasing stolen goods.<br>

I don't really blame Craigslist or Ebay for selling stolen items if they don't that it is. But if they do such as the case with Ebay with this females cameras and equipment, this only and insult to injury. People should always purchase from such venues with caution. I mean what is the joy of using something that you could know is stolen with just by asking the right questions that you're not buying something that has caused some else so much pain and violation.<br>

I can only hope that this female finds some kind of justice. I know that without my camera gear, that I feel lost unable to create art.<br>

</p>

<p>While I sympathise with the victim of this crime, leaving valuable items on display in the back of an unattended vehicle is something to be avoided. That's what the boot (trunk) is for!</p>

<p>I have to agree though, that the response of the Detroit police is appalling, as is Ebay's refusal to take action. It simply needs the serial numbers of the equipment to be checked.</p>

<p>A good plan might be to place a stupidly high bid for the items and thereby obtain the details of the criminal.</p>

If it will make you feel any better... It's about the

same in other major cities also.

<p>The victim should contact her city council representative.<br>

They could put pressure on the police to do something.<br>

If no help there either, then contact the local tv station's news department.</p>

<p>The broken-into cars and stolen cameras maybe a huge deal for that woman and her brother. Unfortunately, the police department, city council and TV stations may all have much bigger fishes to fry, so to speak. But that is another topic.</p>

<p>However, as photographers, if you have critical images, it is important to carry those memory cards with you. In these days, I almost always use dual memory cards in the backup mode such that each one of my RAW files is saved onto two cards.</p>

<p>When I travel, I may leave one card inside the camera, but I always carry another set of cards or hard drives with a full set of images on them with me, maybe in my wallet, inside pocket, etc. If I am on a flight and just in case there is an emergency that I need to educate without my luggage, I always have a full set of images with me. Today with 128G, 256G memory cards, a couple of cards can hold all images from a trip.</p>

<p>Back in 1998, I met Art Wolfe on a cruise ship. That was about a year after his car was broken into in San Francisco. All of his cameras and exposed film (probably hundreds of rolls) from a long trip in the prior two months were all stolen. He offered thousands of dollars to get his film back, no questions asked, but he never got them back and all of his hard work over like 2 months was all gone.</p>

<p> Rodeo Joe, I have to agree with you on leaving such items out in the open, but in her case it was a Jeep, (I'm assuming a Wrangler)so unless one has something cover with, it's out in the open for all to see. Also, some business will not let people in their facilities with any type of cameras other todays cell phones. So bring it with you is not always an option.<br>

Shun, I also agree with on the safeguarding of one's image storage. I personally do carry my file CF cards on my person and once home, I as soon as possible download my image files to my computer, then to a solid state device and also burn them on to archival CD's so to have two different storage mediums because I have no idea as what next type storage will be in the future and to hopefully be able to retrieve from one of them if and need be.<br>

I know that there will always be thieving miscreants, but the bases of this posting was to inform people that you sometimes can't count on the police to do the job that their obligated to do, and for purchasers of second hand goods to be viewed with caution to those of us who like to lead an honest life.<br>

As a side note. The reason I posted this on the Nikon forum, was I wasn't sure what forum to post this on. I also have an affection for Nikon.</p>

<p>This sounds to me like an opportunist theft by some passing toe-rag. I'm pretty sure that just shoving the stuff under a seat out of sight might have prevented the theft. I mean, some low-lifes will smash a car window just to grab a cheap sat-nav or mobile phone that hasn't been removed from its cradle. Causing damage to the vehicle that's many times what they'll get for the stolen item.</p>

<p> Righty o Joe. The safest place in a vehicle, is the trunk. That's if your vehicle has one.<br>

I feel strongly about this because I've have had four cameras stolen from me over the years. Three when I was in the U.S.Army. Two from a locked wall locker, and one by the MP's. The fourth one about ten years ago,a Nikon F100, while staying at motel by the shifty motel owner, when I was emergency hospitalized because of an adverse reaction to a medication. All my other equipment was in the trunk of my car safe guarded there. Then about six months later I was at a used camera show and seen me stolen F100.(I have all my equipments serial numbers on my cell phone.) I called the local police, who came to the show and sequestered the camera until the police I had reported it to initially was able to verify the theft report. I got my camera back and through the camera store who bought it was able to give the sellers ID. I than filed charges against the motel owner, who was then sentenced to six months in jail and when he was released, I sued him for $1000.00(US) and won. Also the camera store's owner sued the motel owner to get his money back. <br>

Sometimes one gets lucky and justis.</p>

<p>I mentioned a similar car theft event in another thread a week or so ago, I can add here that my Jeep Wrangler had smoked glass windows, which made it almost impossible for anyone to see what may be stored inside.</p>

<p>As I pondered my options after the theft in the car park a number of local people came up and told me these kinds of theft were very common in that particular car park and that the thieves leave very little to chance by constantly watching car owners. In my case I had to open my tail gate door to get a reasonably large wheelie case out for a presentation I was doing nearby, giving whoever was watching a good view of anything else that maybe inside.</p>

<p>The police weren't very interested but did register the event. Fortunately all my gear and even the car window was covered by insurance - but obviously you still loose quite a few dollars.</p>

<p>I kept an eye on eBay for ages but never saw my gear.</p>

<p>I think bike riders have a much harder time than us photographers- I keep seeing ads for GPS trackers for bikes and often think that may be I should look for something like that for my photo gear.</p>

<p>In Australia the lawyer's fees for suing anyone for $1000.00 would easily cost more than $1000.00 so it wouldn't be worth considering.</p>

<p>Dang, hearing all this makes me glad I live where I do. About eight years ago a kid stole a Wii console from my house. He was caught trying to sell it. Police arrested him and the driver of the car that took him to our house. Both got jail time, even though my wife & I suggested to the court to let the driver off.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

<p> I like to thank those who responded to this posting, especially two of the more noted contributors. <br>

I'd like think that after over 2000 years of civilization that the human race would get it together, but it's still far short of that. Beside this kind of problems doesn't even compare to rest of humanity's problems.<br>

To quote; Earth is the Universe's insane asylum.<br>

Pete Resetz</p>

<p><em>Beside this kind of problem doesn't even compare to rest of humanity's problems.</em><br>

<em> </em><br>

My partner who is an elected representative of our community, was telling me over breakfast this morning (without knowing about this thread) that the chief police officer gives them regular briefing on crime in the district. Last week's police update concentrated on a new initiative to encourage the community to report all "minor" thefts and acts of vandalism because, evidently, there is increasingly strong data to suggest that these minor things can often lead to much more serious ones in the future. In terms of vandalism the evidence suggests that it can be a precursor to much more significant violence.</p>

<p>This is just a rant. Major city police departments don't spend any time on crimes like this unless there's video that can easily allow a quick suspect ID. Musicians (who I know because I shoot) have tens of thousands of dollars of equipment stolen from vehicles and the police tell them to file a report and contact their insurance company. The response of the police is not "appalling," it's what one should expect in any big city for what is essentially a very small crime.<br>

<br />Transit funds don't come out of the police budget, which makes the post even more of a rant. Typically there's a variety of funding sources for mass transit. Even if you took that money and put it into the police budget, it's not going to change what is essentially petty theft.</p>

<p>There is no good reason to ever leave one's equipment in a car. If there's no way to take it securely with you, it's better to go somewhere safe and leave it. </p>

<p>The transit part was a little off, but yes police don't seem interested.</p>

<p>There are many stories of stolen iPhones, where "find my iPhone" gives the exact location and police won't follow up. Again, they often have valuable photos, even if insurance (minus deductable) pays.<br>

There have been good and bad stories of people trying to reclaim them personally.</p>

<p>It is sad that eBay doesn't help. If they are valuable enough, the person could bid high enough on them. Then after getting them back, report the seller to the police. At least the police report allows for an insurance claim.</p>

<p>The police never helped me recover any stolen property, even in the one case of a serious crime--a bicycle taken from me, long ago when I was seventeen, by four kids with knives. I was lucky not to get hurt, and that my father had insurance that covered it.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>There is no good reason to ever leave one's equipment in a car. If there's no way to take it securely with you, it's better to go somewhere safe and leave it.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I've often had good reason to leave equipment in a car. On a road trip, if I stop somewhere in a city to walk around with a body and a lens or two, I'll leave my tripod and bird photography lens in the trunk, out of sight. My equipment is to serve my photographic needs, not for me to become its servant. Yes, it might get stolen, but reasonable caution in choosing a place to park and carrying insurance is a better solution.</p>

<p>And an additional point on putting valuable gear in the trunk. Don't do it where you are parking the car. Do it before you leave for that location. Crooks, as in places like Golden Gate Park where this happened to a friend, watch for folks depositing thousands of dollars of gear in a trunk that can be sprung in seconds and then vanish on a bicycle. </p>

<p>Putting valuables in the trunk is a good idea but thieves know the drill. Popping the trunk on most cars is easy. My motto is, if you don't want something stolen, don't leave it in the vehicle in the first place. </p>

<p>i have a friend who is a fairly well-known photographer in music industry circles in the LA area. about two weeks ago, his car was broken into and they got him for like 2 Hassy bodies, 3 nikon bodies, a canon body, and thousands of dollars of lenses. so it can happen to anyone. the worst part was he didnt have insurance. he was able to raise a few thousand within days through crowdfunding, but i think in the future he'll probably pop for insurance. </p>

<p>in this situation, yes the crime is unfortunate, and yes ebay should have a better policy, but im not sure how the police could prove the gear was stolen, or obtain a warrant unless serial numbers of all the gear were readily visible in online listings. and a stolen gear report in and of itself is not probable cause. ive heard of police stings on craiglist, but in those cases the police dont move in until the buyer conducts the transaction first. that's in a physical location. the best bet is either to buy the gear back, or buy new gear with insurance $$. the SD cards are likely lost. stuff happens. the idea that photo gear is imperious to theft is not realistic. so plan wisely. </p>

<p>My condolence to all theft victims.<br>

I'm not sure what to write about cars. - I recall a case of an east German lady getting frustrated of hers, when neighbors made it a habit to drill for gasoline in her several 100Euro plastic tank. I don't recall if it happened 2 or 3 times but her insurance refused to cover it for the future.<br>

I have to admit: reading about theft out of cars made me question my need or desire to own one, the fact that it feels much easier to park a motorcycle almost anywhere aside. - To be precise: I am kind of dissapointed. trunks look more secure than a pair of saddlebags but aren't for real. <br>

About the Chicago police: That seems a real pitty to me. - I hope there is an option to approach politicians / legislation to establish a paid service for what they aren't doing. </p>

<p>I'm sure most of you know this but if you register your camera bodies and lenses on Nikon's site, it creates a record of your gear along with the serial numbers. You can then print it out and keep in a safe place at home or in your wallet/purse in case you need the serial numbers to report a theft.</p>

<p>Couple of things that might be helpful in the future. Or not.<br>

I photograph a Word document that I have my name, mobile, and eMail address as the first picture in every card that goes into a camera. Therefore if somebody "borrows" the camera or I misplace it the first picture on the card will clearly show contact info.<br>

If you travel and rent vehicles - especially mini-vans or SUVs - consider buying and traveling with a cheap black shower curtain. They don't take up much space and you can drape it over your stuff in back area. Looking in thru a (usually) tinted window it's impossible to see anything in the back of the car with that shower curtain covering suitcases, etc.<br>

The above mention about carrying your CF or SD cards with you after exposed is key. When I'm done shooting I always feel like they can have-at the cameras but the photographs are the most important thing. In "film" days I'd carry the exposed film in a smallish Domke bag - to dinner - wherever. <br>

If you're on a long travel or assignment with film, then put your rolls of exposed film on the counter or dresser in your room - out in the open. Thieves will look for cameras. It wouldn't occur to them to steal your most important film. <br>

My theory on hotels is that the staff or friends of the staff can be involved in thefts. Therefore I always leave a daily cash "tip" for the chambermaid. I want her to be happy with me and not even think about telling somebody about the "strange" equipment that might be in my room.<br>

Best of luck with your stolen equipment. Good luck with your photography.</p>