Cleaned out - all my gear stolen :(

[wai_leong_lee]

Was the bag visible or locked in the boot? What I'd like to know is, did the thieves know you had expensive camera equipment and were just waiting for a chance to strike, or was it just a crime of opportunity?

[andrew robertson]

"stolen from my car"

 

A tough lesson to learn with a Leica. I learned that same lesson years ago, but only lost a

few CDs.

[subpopstar]

Hey Dave - Sorry to hear about the stolen gear. While it's just 'stuff' it sure can deliver a blow to one's faith in fellow man. An expensive weekend, huh?!

 

One thing I haven't seen posted while skimming the responses is to check eBay beginning later this week. I know of several cases where stolen gear appeared online for auction. Some thieves are smart and wait a period of time before trying to cash in, but some aren't so bright. If you see something interesting, you might try using the eBay 'ask the seller a question' feature and inquire as to the serial number for 'research'. With any luck, they might just send it.

 

Good luck in any case!!

[billsr]

Dave C., Though I am 100% in sympathy with you, I must say that I live in a cozy little village in a quiet corner of America, where deer, wild turkey, rabbits, squirrels. marmots, coyotes, all manner of reptiles and songbirds , not to forget all the raptors such as hawks, falcons, and owls which all play in my back yard. Yet if I were to leave anything of obvious value in plain sight in one of my vehicles,for even a brief moment, I would fully expect it to be GONE!

We live in a very different society today than we did before and some of us older folks are slow to catch up with reality. To me, civilization, as we knew it, is dead. Lock your doors and leave nothing of value exposed to public view. Welcome to the 21st century!

Best wishes, Bill

[david_doyle]

Though I have sympathy for you Dave, as a former pawnbroker I have seen this far too

often. I can't recall how many times I answered calls relating to this situation.

 

Note to photogs (or anyone): Never leave your gear in the car no matter how safe you

might think it is, period.

 

Sorry for your loss Dave, and sorry for the whiff of condescention.

[summitar]

I deeply regret your loss, Dave. This should be warning to us all (especially me) to list and register our equipment with our homeowners insurance. We have two large and very noisy Old English Sheepdogs, who raise a storm whenever any one drives into our cul-de-sac. But if the person got inside, they would would help hom carry the stuff out of the house, and perhaps lick him to death.

 

I have had the trunk of my car broken into twice while parked in downtown Seattle, not in a bad neighborhood. The first time, they got about $500 worht of various items. Since I had $500 deductable insurance, no help. Th epolice could care less. The second time, they got a box of clay pigieons that I had just purchased for $3.98. Bon appetit!!!

 

I seriously considered parking my car in the same neighborhood, locked but with cameras and other valuables in plain sight within the cabin. Meanwhile, I and several of my large friends would be loitering around as disinterested layabouts, with aluminum baseball bats stuffed into our clothing out of sight. When th eculprit appeared, as inevitably he would, we would pound him into jello. Unfortunately, our courts would have sent us to jail, and made us responsible for the culprit's permannt maintenace. I don't know of a good solution, maybe pepper spray into every orifice. My next car will have all of the loud burgler alarms, plus my resolve to never leave anything of value inside a car, even in the locked trunk. A trunk can be popped open in milliseconds. I would cheerfully support public flogging.

[bill_thorlin]

Dave - I am sorry to hear of your misfortune. I once had all my gear taken from inside the house and because there were no signs of forcible entry the insurance company refused to pay up and I was out of photography for a while. I live in a pretty quiet place and the nearest property is a couple of hundred yards away and I think they just walked in when I had left the door open and was at the other end of the garden.

 

The reason I raise this is that I ended up believing that someone had been watching out for an opportunity. You say you live in a quiet village but has anybody else had the same problem ? Do you photograph around the village and would people know that you had expensive gear ? Do you always lock your car ? I am not trying to be a scaremonger but it is a possibility that you had been selected as a target and they were just waiting for an opportunity.

 

I will make no comment on the wisdom of leaving valuables in a car except to say that " the man who never made a mistake never made anything ".

[jon_noble]

Ow, sorry to hear that

 

Keep visiting your local "wants" and 2nd hand shops and ebay (check their address) is all i can suggest. Chances are, the theif wont have a clue about what he's stolen. Probably try and flog it anywhere.

 

Good luck

[jon_noble]

almost forgot, "cash converters" as well

[ben conover]

When I was a musician I left an expensive viola and bow in it's expensive case in the locked trunk of an expensive car, for 10 minutes. When I returned it was gone. Car theft is very common, take care and my sympathies to you.

[bobtodrick]

I'll second what many have said. I learned my lesson years ago when I had a highend stereo in my car. One of the things the police mentioned when they came to investigate was that one should always be sure not to drive around with your highend playing loudly as your driving up to your house. Thieves are opportunists...hearing a loud stereo instantly alerts them. Same thing...walking into your home with a camera case or tripod lets everyone know that you've expensive gear. Get a home alarm...the savings in your insurance rates will usually cover the monthly fee. And never, NEVER leave cameras in the car. Even if I'm only popping into the house for a moment the camera goes with me.

[david j.lee]

sorry about that dave. the same thing happened to w.eugene smith. he found

the cameras in a pawn shop. the idiots took some pictures of themselves with

the leicas and when he recovered them the film was still inside. they were

catched in a minute.

dont forget to check on ebay for your cameras and equipment.

[nesrani]

"with aluminum baseball bats stuffed into our clothing out of sight"

 

Try the front of your trousers.

[dave_chadderton]

Dilemma

 

 

(... all the stolen camera gear was behind the drivers seat in a black bag, invisible due to some serious 'privacy' glass)

 

 

 

What do you do?

 

 

 

a. Lie to Police/Ins Company and say that all gear was locked in either the trunk or glove compartment, risking them catching the toe-rag who then confirms he took the stuff from the cabin - implying that I submitted a fraudulant claim and risking prosecution.

 

 

 

b. Tell truth and lose $6000 worth of camera gear forever as the insurance policy only covers items 'secured' in the trunk or glove box.

 

 

 

I told the truth, thereby automatically invoking answer 'b'. I can however, sleep soundly knowing that I don't need to worry about a visits from the 'feds' !!

 

 

 

 

Real answer is hidden answer 'c' - sleep in your car.

 

 

 

 

Why can I be so flippant?

 

 

I returned to work today to discover that late last week, a colleague, his wife and youngest son were crushed between two large trucks - their car burst into flames and it took 24 hrs to identify them by their dental records.

 

 

They leave behind a 14 yr old son (who was on a 'sleepover') .... I hear that he hasn't begun to comprehend what's happened.

[blowingsky]

There is this old saying that every bicycle weighs 50 pounds. A 20 lb. bike has a 30 lb. lock, a 30 lb. bike has a 20 lb. lock and a 50 lb. bike has no lock at all. However, I assess the need for security based on how tramatic the loss would be, not necessarily the value. Of course, with Lecia gear, both trauma and value dovetail. Dave, I would advise doing whatever YOU know to be ethical regarding the insurance, without justification or advice from others. (Except for THIS advice!) Then your intentions in the area of photography will not get blunted and you will, somehow, come out on top with the gear you want.

[j_t3]

Dave,

 

It pained me to read your post, I am so sorry to hear of your misfortune and was actually getting more and more angry as I read it (toward the thieves obviously, not you)

 

All the recommendations here are good ones, tell the world if you can and get the serial numbers out to anyone who might help. I'm a power seller over at the bay on camera equipment and would be happy to keep an eye out there or anything that even remotely sounds like your gear. If you wish to share serial numbers, please email me and I'll search eBay for the next several weeks to see if we can get lucky and find it. The pawn shops, camera stores, etc, etc, get the word there.

 

As for the auto insurance, that's a shame and I've never heard of it mattering where the gear was stored in the auto. What if it were in a locked case in the back seat? Would that qualify as the same as being in the glove box for example? Just curious, I'd press the insurance company on that.

 

As for the add on to the homeowners insurance that has been mentioned, I live in NJ in the USA and recently inquired about the separate schedule on my policy and was quoted anywhere from $12 to $18 per thousand dollars of equipment to carry the insurance. $5,000 would run $60 to $90, $10,000 would run $120 to $180, and $15,000 would run $180 to $270 and so on and so on. Seems like it might be worth it.

 

I wish you the best and please feel free to reach out for help if any of us can be of assistance.

 

You've got a much better attitude then I would have.

[ezio_gallino]

In sad moment as this: everybody is save, no serious health problem and life goes on.....

Everything else is solvable: Not a Tragedy with no way out but a very very very big bad moment. Tume will help you to go cross it, and I hope your future will be brighter. Nothin itreparable, things will get better: I'm sure.