It could be nothing more than a toy car as a child, milk money in elementary school, a cd player in high school (showing my age?) a laptop in college. All of us at some point have probably had something no matter how small and insignificant stolen. It could of been harmless or your fault for forgetting the item out in the open long enough for it to become “up for grabs”. Sure it hurts but hopefully its always been something in the grand scheme of things trivial and quickly replaced.
However what happens when it is not only something important and valuable? But both monetarily and psychologically/physically important? Stolen not as a result of a moment of forgetfulness or mistrust but as a result of a purposeful criminal act? Well 2 weeks before Christmas that is exactly just what happened to me. A car break in that lead to all but my 560mm lens and my tripod to be stolen. How to handle it? Who do you call? What red tape is involved? What do you do when you run across it for sale?
As a full disclaimer, I will take the blame. I am the one that in a rush for work the next morning and going out for a shoot pre-loaded my gear into the trunk of my car the night before. “I live in a quiet, safe neighborhood.” “I’ve done it countless times.” My false sense of security leading to a major lapse in judgment and I paid (a lot really) for it.
I love my “new” Mx-5. They have always been my realistic dream car. Even got the retractable hard top since soft tops are so easy to break into.
IRONY MUCH?
Skip forward to the next morning. I get in my car, to an open glove box and center console. Nothing missing sans a beat-up pair of prescription Ray-bans, including title, registration, stereo or garage door opener the car itself is completely unharmed. Then I opened the trunk…yep, my entire backpack of gear gone……all of it.
Ford Performance GT backpack
Pentax K70
Pentax 18-55mm
Pentax 55-300mm
Tamron, Magnicon, even the Kimunor 500!!!
Yi lite action cam and waterproof housing and selfie stick/tripod
Reflector disc
Case of filters
Wireless shutter
2 extra batteries & charger
By far the most painful…an SD card with some of the last photos of my dad on it (luckily the best of already being saved to my computer)
After the gut-wrenching horror settled, my local sheriffs’ office was called, and thus started the process, so what do you do? What results should you expect?
Call the Cops
Yes, you’ll call non-emergency, no they will not “be right there.” But when an Officer does arrive they will take a written statement, inventory of what was stolen (just do the best you can always add updates). Fingerprints of the car etc. and give you contact info so you can update and ask any questions. Luckily my car was unharmed, fingerprints were easily gotten from the driver’s window as well as trunk lid.
Call Insurance
If your gear is insured great, win for you. Mine being a hobbyist was not. So here was the first now you know of the adventure. If the break-in/theft happened at say the park or Walmart- call your auto insurance for a claim. If however, it happens on your and in some cases in general private property (aka your driveway) call your home/renters insurance. My very helpful auto insurer, let me make a claim just in case as a backup to my homeowners/renters claim (but said it would probably get denied) luckily my homeowners/renters came through just fine-more on that in a second.
Serial numbers, pictures and more
Get any serial numbers you have added to the police report ASAP, as well as any other proof of ownership you might have. Photos of the items, receipts. Amazon/eBay order history etc. Different agencies will have different ways of getting this info added to your report but in my case, it ended up being pretty straight forward and having the serial numbers in the system sends a hit out to law enforcement when/if they hopefully end up at a pawn shop.
Ask for updates
Asking for updates, both from law enforcement and the insurance company not only keeps you in the loop but also keeps you “active” in the minds of both entities. My dealings with insurance were very straight forward and resolved quickly, my contact with law enforcement always friendly, helpful and understanding.
It never hurts to do your own footwork
Let’s be honest we all “know” where stolen stuff ends up..modern sitcoms joke about it, the news reports it. Craigslist, Pawnshops, Facebook market place, flea markets. Check them all. Pawnshops are usually as it turns out pretty honest with serial number checks etc. The others however really have no checks, so if/when you run across your gear there is really nothing the authorities can do.
After a few days of checking the above-mentioned places I happened upon facebook marketplace where suddenly my Pentax k70, 18-55mm kit lens and my Yi action cam (in matching housing and stick) were suddenly for sale?! Stupidly I contacted the seller with an automated “Is this item still available?” I received a near-instant response of yes along with a Canon EOS and gear (not mine). I contacted the cops and learned that they could not really do anything but watch since no serial numbers where pictured. As well as them letting me know that while in reality with the time that had passed (around 2 weeks) chances were the person selling my gear was actually probably at least the second “holder” of my stuff.
As days went by my camera stayed on Marketplace and the seller continued messaging me, asking if I was still interested and went as far as dropping the price to a “motivated” $250. At this point I had privatized my FB account, however, my Instagram was still open and a quick glance would have made the seller realize it was my camera.
The authorities contacted me around week 4 to let me know that while my case was active and a detective had been assigned-aka the officer that called me. Reality it would be put as a dead end, there was nothing they could do further and 80% of all smaller items on FB marketplace are known to be stolen…. Well Sh!#.
Hopes of getting my camera and gear back forgotten. New Pentax k1 mk2 already bought and paid for. I had moved on…until one morning in late January when I received a “scam likely” call that I decided to pick up. My camera and 18-55 had been turned into a local chain pawnshop the evening before and would I like to come claim it? Of course!!!!
Upon meeting the officer (a nonuniformed civilian officer) we went into the pawnshop and verified and claimed my camera and lens.
Other batteries/lenses/sd card etc. Not found. After some quick form signing and a thanks and goodbye, my k70 and at least one lens were unceremoniously back at home.
While I did sign that I would prosecute I have not heard any further word and to be honest doubt I will. Me not having serial # proof of the classic lenses has me believing those have been lost to life as well.
The aftermath of it all is, I at least got some of my gear returned and I am now up to 3 cameras (my retired fuji HS30-EXR being included). The greater Orlando area is after all, huge. 22nd in the U.S. putting it roughly in the same population as Chicago in an area between Egypt and Colombia for reference. So a “5th” brand camera is not the most important thing on the local authorities’ minds.
The last keeper taken on my K70 before “the theft”.
So what did I learn? And what should you adopt now?
Document, Document, Document!
Don’t trap yourself into thinking “its bargain second hand gear whats the point?” No matter what you shoot take, if nothing else notes of the type and serial #’s. I have since done this with all my current camera gear (including lesser equipment group shots showing batteries, filters, chargers etc.) I am also a retro gamer-actually I am a gamer that just can’t let go and therefore have become a retro gamer, and while these things are obviously not kept in the trunk of my car, the experience has woken me up to inventorying everything I have.
SD cards are not storage devices!
I lost pictures of my Dad, they might not have been shareable or to be honest even worth looking at again, however these were the last pictures of my Dad. We are not in the film age anymore. Cloud, external hard drives etc. Transfer your files from the card you keep “in camera”.
Look into insurance.
Luckily the K70 was worth enough to claim but not so valuable to require its own insurance. However as I inventory my aforementioned game collection I am quickly realizing I have way passed an amount worthy of insurance. Look into it. My 560mm alone is worth it and most of the time your auto/home etc company can take care of it for you.
Don’t leave your sh!# in your car!
This might be a duh for a lot of people but growing up in the country is obviously was not for me. When I do have my gear in the car (driving to a location and I know I am going to make a stop for example: My car has a trunk lock button inside the trunk itself that locks the trunk to everything but the psychical key itself. Including the in car trunk button.
Hopefully, this little experience of mine helps, and while I am lucky to get some of my stuff back, I have learned to question safe places as well as what you see on FB marketplace. Also a shoutout to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. During the entire ordeal, everyone I had was Courteous, Concerned, Informative, Honest, and Caring. Hopefully, I never need law enforcement again but if I do I hope its OCSO.