Stolen Lenses - RECOVERED!

Thanks for the assistance and support in my other thread.
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1232075

I found them on eBay. The seller had unknowingly posted pictures of serial on the lens mount so I was able to verify that it was mine. I contacted the detective working on my case and gave him the information about the eBay sale. I then bought the lenses myself to make sure they didn't get sold to someone else.

The buyer then messaged me that he was cancelling the sale because he suspected they were stolen, good for him. I confronted him over email and told him the stolen gear was mine. He agreed to refund the sale and meet me in person to return the items. I contacted the detective, told him the time and location and he met me there, but stayed out of sight until the man gave me my gear. Once I had the gear in my possession they approach him and gave him the third degree to see where/whom he had gotten them from, then apparently obtained a warrant to search his apartment. Still some other missing items from my car but its the camera gear I cared about the most.

So, I have my lenses, bag, and filters back and it cost me no money! Huzzah!

Good to hear! Some folks are unfortunately not so lucky...

Good to hear that Tiggi, cant believe some people are so mean to steal from a photographer

Tiggity-T wrote in post #15052184
Thanks for the assistance and support in my other thread.
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1232075

I found them on eBay. The seller had unknowingly posted pictures of serial on the lens mount so I was able to verify that it was mine. I contacted the detective working on my case and gave him the information about the eBay sale. I then bought the lenses myself to make sure they didn't get sold to someone else.

The buyer then messaged me that he was cancelling the sale because he suspected they were stolen, good for him. I confronted him over email and told him the stolen gear was mine. He agreed to refund the sale and meet me in person to return the items. I contacted the detective, told him the time and location and he met me there, but stayed out of sight until the man gave me my gear. Once I had the gear in my possession they approach him and gave him the third degree to see where/whom he had gotten them from, then apparently obtained a warrant to search his apartment. Still some other missing items from my car but its the camera gear I cared about the most.

So, I have my lenses, bag, and filters back and it cost me no money! Huzzah!

Wow just like in the movies

Lucky!

This first I've heard! Congrats!

Awesome. I got some of my stolen gear back as well not too long ago but it wasn't nearly as cool of a story.

Wicked!!!

Amazing.

WOOT!

Wow! You are one incredibly lucky man! I have never heard of anyone recovering their gear, especially so quickly!

awesome...i wouldn't say it's all luck...after all you were actively looking...good job

Nice job. I'm in the middle of the same story (although only one piece of camera gear was stolen). House was broken into 6 weeks ago. I was able to start tracking the stolen laptop last week, which lead me to the guy who had it (traded some stuff to another "gentlemen"). The cops did a raid this morning, recovered almost everything taken from our house. The lens (Sigma 30mm) doesn't match my serial #, and I don't recall ever comparing the serial # to the registration card when I bought it. Very frustrating, as I can't imagine the guy happened to have a bunch of Sigma 30mm's! Sigh. It was a good day, though. It feels good, doesn't it Tiggity-T?

One kinda funny part about it. As I was sitting in Starbucks and waiting for him to arrive a male baristas looked at me and asked if i was waiting for a short Asian guy. I was kinda shocked because he man sounded Asian over the phone.

"Why do you say that?"

"Oh, I saw your camera boxes (which I had brought as proof of ownership) and there is an Asian guy who meets people here all the time to sell camera gear, phones, and stuff. We've told him we don't want him doing that here but he keeps coming back."

"Well, that might not be a problem anymore."

"Uh...okay."

At which point he walked away to do barista stuff. So after I got my gear and the police detained the guy the barista looked at me, smirked, and said "Ah, I see what you mean now."

"He tried to sell me my own stolen stuff."

"Awesome."

He then gave me a free pumpkin latte.

LarkM wrote in post #15052272
Nice job. I'm in the middle of the same story (although only one piece of camera gear was stolen). House was broken into 6 weeks ago. I was able to start tracking the stolen laptop last week, which lead me to the guy who had it (traded some stuff to another "gentlemen"). The cops did a raid this morning, recovered almost everything taken from our house. The lens (Sigma 30mm) doesn't match my serial #, and I don't recall ever comparing the serial # to the registration card when I bought it. Very frustrating, as I can't imagine the guy happened to have a bunch of Sigma 30mm's! Sigh. It was a good day, though. It feels good, doesn't it Tiggity-T?

That it does. Still doesn't feel real that I have it all back though. I keep checking up on it to see if its still there.