STOLEN 1DMarkIV and 24-70/f2.8 lens

[iris_van_den_broek]

<p>Since this forum has a very large usergroup I thought I post it here, you never know<br>

During my vacation in San Francisco I was robbed off my Canon 1DMark IV with an attached 24-70/f2.8 lens. It happened last Thursday (May 12th) in Alamo Square. Four guys attacked me from behind and took the camera off my shoulder. I managed to keep my backpack because I started screaming real loud and since it was broad daylight they did not have much time so they ran.'</p>

<p>The stolen camera is a Canon 1DMarkIV with serial number: 0830900936<br />The stolen lens is a Canon 24-70/f2.8 with serial number: 1592752<br />The lens also had a polarizing filter on it.</p>

<p>I think it is a very strange combination they're trying to sell now, since there are no lenscaps, no batterycharger and theres a filter attached to the lens (which they don't know of course, they have no idea what they've stolen apart from it being very expensive stuff).</p>

<p>So that's why I post here, because the person who's going to buy it from them probably is a professional or serious hobbyist.<br>

If anyone sees this stuff (or something suspicious) coming by on craigslist or ebay please let me know!<br>

I can also be contacted through my website<br>

<a href="http://www.eyerisphotography.nl/">www.eyerisphotography.nl</a><br>

<br /><br /></p>

<p> </p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>Sad to hear, hope you have insurance. If a serious amateur or professional tries to buy it unknowing that it is a stolen item, they might try to register it with Canon which will raise red flags, that's if you have registered the items with them already.</p>

[iris_van_den_broek]

<p>I have insurance but they won't cover the full thing so in the end I'll always lose money (and of course my trust in other people).<br>

I already reported the event to Canon, I don't know if they do anything with it but I have a pro account and the serial numbers are indeed registered there.<br />I just wonder what happens if someone enters the serial numbers in their account. I'm sure they will just get an errormessage and not a report to Canon I guess?</p>

 

[fotograf]

<p>Iris why not simply go to the police and they will take a report. How did you pay for your equipment? If it was with credit card- call the merchant and explain your situation to them and see if they might compensate you for the loss. Reporting to Canon is meaningless- why would they help you out for stolen equipment? You might try Craigslist in your area and see if you recognize your equipment.</p>

[nathangardner]

If they send it to Canon for repair or maintenance, Canon won't send it back to them and should contact you.

[iris_van_den_broek]

<p>@Brian: what do you think the first thing was I did?<br />Locals already called the police and they arrived pretty fast. They also have all the serial numbers, but since I doubt that they will make this their main priority and they simply cannot keep checking craigslist every day, I thought it wouldn't hurt to let people know about it here.<br />You never know where it turns up after all<br>

I am from The Netherlands by the way, but I keep checking the Bay Area Craigslist........<br />The camera was not paid for with a creditcard by the way</p>

[alex_cowley]

<p>Not sure how good this is, but have you tried http://www.stolencamerafinder.com/</p>

[alex_cowley]

<p>Also, why not set up a Google Alert for those serial numbers.</p>

[jim_service]

<p>I am very sorry this happened to you in my town.</p>

[joshroot]

<p>Also:</p>

<p><a href="../registry/">Photo.net Stolen Equip Registry</a></p>

[peter_simpson1]

<p>Bummer. Sorry to hear about your loss, but glad you weren't hurt.</p>

<p>Yeah, keep watching Craigslist and eBay. Maybe they're dumb crooks.</p>

[fotograf]

<p>Iris- I can't read your mind, so how would I know what "the first thing" you did was, if you never mentioned previous to my post that you in fact did report it?</p>

[PuppyDigs]

Brian, it's pretty universal that somebody robbed of $6000 in gear in a public place, in broad daylight would dial 911.

Mind reading not required. Plus the insurer often requires a copy of the police report. Sadly she is right about catching

the robbers is both unlikely and certainly not a priority. I lost even more gear in a break in (they broke through the wall

to gain access) and the police told me their cases were so backlogged it was unrealistic to expect any action

whatsoever. Plus, even if they recovered the items, they have no way of cross referencing serial numbers. Hence the

sale of recovered stolen property at public auctions...

[Jerry_]

<p>You might consider a Google search for Pawn Shops in the Bay Area. Then try to e-mail a description and the serial numbers to each and every one: maybe offer a $50 reward? It can't hurt. It is doubtful four guys will try to share use of the camera and lens.</p>

<p> </p>

[david_huff1]

<p>Very sorry for your experience in our country. I hope to be treated far better when I visit yours this coming July.</p>

[rfader]

<p>I'm wondering if on Ebay, sellers are required to supply the serial number if asked.</p>

[Marc453]

<p>Don't laugh at this. Go back to where you were robbed and put up a reward poster for a "lost" camera. On the poster describe your camera and offer a $100 reward, no questions asked. Also add that the offer will stand for only 48 hours.<br>

You never know!<br>

And yes, this is from experience and it works.</p>

[iris_van_den_broek]

<p>Thanks for all the great response<br>

@Brian: I didn't mean to offend you, but it's indeed very obvious that calling 911 was the first thing to do (fortunately some locals had heard me scream and already did it for me which was so helpful and nice because I really felt totally lost at the moment)<br>

@Alex: good idea of the google alert but dont know how to set that up. I will try and find out.<br>

I also thought of the pawnshops but it seems around Alamo Square there aren't many. Lots of them in Mission though. I also keep checking craigslist..yoiu know they have some pretty serious stuff in their hands but in a very strange way to offer. I just hope they get caught if an honest buyer calls the police, but I doubt that will happen and that more people would be like: 'hmm a 1DMarkIV with the hard to get right now 24-70/f2.8 for 1500 dollars? Great deal!'<br />And not even mind if it was stolen or not <br /><br /></p>

[iris_van_den_broek]

<p>@Josh thanks for the link to the stolen equipment registry, didn't know you had one here!</p>

[markonestudios]

<p>I am very sorry about that, Iris. I know only too well how painful it is to lose expensive camera gear. I lost mine in a break-in last December. I hope you recover it</p>

[brians.]

<p>Since I live in the bay area it's good to know about this. I often wonder how safe my equipment is. It amazes me that it happened in broad daylight. I sometimes shoot around the Embarcadero at night and have never been bothered -- but my equipment is not as desirable as what you lost. Still it's a good heads-up. Thanks.</p>

[frank_skomial]

<p><em>"If they send it to Canon for repair or maintenance, Canon won't send it back to them and should contact you."</em></p>

<p>This happened to a fellow I knew. Not sure it if was Canon or Nikon?<br>

He purchased a used camera from a used camera store. Enjoyed it for a year, then decided to send it for checkup and cleaning. He never got back the camera, since it was registered as stolen.</p>

<p>So, if you get used equipment, make sure you know is not stolen. Keep your receipts forever, so nobody will call you a thief, even if you will loose the camera.</p>

[fotograf]

<p>puppy- what's with the snarky comment? It's hardly obvious someone would call 911 for a camera- that line is generally reserved for people in ill health, etc. It is unfortunate about this situation and I hope the OP gets the equipment back.</p>

[picturesque]

<p>I'm very sorry this happened to you in the Bay Area. I've had gear stolen, but by a ring of thieves working wedding venues. They stole from wedding photographers. In my case, the gear went from Northern California to Southern California within 2 weeks, where some of it was sold at a big flea market. Probably, the rest of it went further south, to Mexico.</p>

<p>Of the gear sold at the flea market, one camera and one lens made it onto e-bay (put there by the person who bought it at the flea market, not the thieves). I identified the gear through a mark I had put on the camera, and eventually recovered both through the help of local police.</p>

<p>However, in your case, I unfortunately would not be as optimistic. I am thinking that the thieves in your case probably sold your gear on the street for drug money, and that they target tourists. But you never know, so I'd still keep my eye out on ebay, although local pawn shops might be a better bet.</p>

<p>In the future, I'd wear the camera across my body, with perhaps a PacSafe camera strap, which has steel wire encased in the strap. Of the sling type straps, I think the Sunswiper has steel wire embedded.</p>

[doug_landrum]

<p>Goodie. For those of us who live in California, we know how fast this once prosperous state is degenerating into a failed third world state. Tourists - do not visit. This place is ugly and mean.</p>