Hate a thief!!!!!!!!!

I did an impromptu photoshoot of a friends car on Sunday. I know I was in a bad area, but the location was perfect for the shoot......being an old industrial area. The area would be generally described as "the hood".

Regardless. I started shooting, and was using my 'new to me' 400L f5.6. I decided to switch to my 70-200L f4 and get some closer shots too. Long story short, I stopped to take a pic of the car with my cell phone.....and put the camera (1Dmkiii with the 70-200 f4) inside my truck. My buddy and I proceeded to walk around the building to check out the other side for more photo opp's......and returned just a few minutes later. I shockingly opened my door (which I left unlocked like a moron, not thinking anything would happen).....I saw my 1D and 70-200 were gone. Also shockingly, my camera bag with about $2500 worth of glass was still there (my new 400L was in there too), and I also had a handgun inside the truck. So someone was obviously watching and waiting.....but only took the camera.

In my line of work, I personally have little sympathy for someone who leaves their doors unlocked and there is a theft. Most of those folks that I wouldn't have sympathy for, usually NEVER lock their doors. I always lock my doors, and even knowing I was in a bad area......didn't for whatever reason. And now I am paying the price.

Just wanted to vent, not looking for any sympathy. I am sure others can relate (unfortunately).

Sorry for your loss, you learned a valuable lesson though. Where I live, you have to keep your doors locked and valuables hidden or you're asking to get robbed. It's sad really..

Hopefully you had insurance. If you did, be happy, youre going to get all new stuff now!

If you didnt, well, then I hope thats the real lesson you learned here. For all the one million and one things that can happen and the 10 billion things you didnt think of that could happen if your gear leaves the house (and even if it doesnt) get it insured.

Man, I hate to be the preachy guy when someone is down, and reading this I would have only offered sympathy and nothing else,...

....IF, it weren't for this;

kit lens wrote in post #15932512
..my door (which I left unlocked like a moron, not thinking anything would happen)........ and I also had a handgun inside the truck. ....

Dude?
This is bordering on criminal.

Sorry.

At least there was an upside.
I know it's hard to see when you lose something or get victimized, but it not only could have been worse, with eh camera bag right there,.. I'm glad it wasn't worse.

Sorry about the loss of your gear, that sucks.

Sorry you lost some gear. It could have been much worse as you could have ended up in prison. You leave a handgun inside your unlocked truck and it's stolen then used in a crime. I would not be surprised that in today's litigious society that you could end up being one of the 'bad guys'. In the best case scenario you would be sued by the victims for 'enabling' the criminal. Lock that puppy no matter what.

I hope you find your gear or that you have insurance.

I'll bring the camera back later this week.

Send me your address and where you keep the 400mm. Just leave the door open.

(Sorry, couldn't help myself)

You may already have a carry permit but if you don't you may need to get one...if you are going to leave it in your car....or better yet carry it. At least no one will steal it. Having a gun stolen from your car I would think is no different than having one stolen from your house during a burglary..unless the trunk was standing wide open it was locked. No liability.

Sorry about your loss...and you need a police report. Your stuff may end up in a pawn shop.

I hate low life thieves who make life miserable for others. One helluva loss but it could have been worse if the #*****)@%! found the gun and then waited for you guys to come back.

In some states, leaving your keys in the car leaves you liable for injury accidents. It would follow that leaving a gun unsecured ... If the gun were stolen; I wouldn't advertise the "unlocked" part.

Sorry 'bout the substantial loss and even worse, about now having a reason to be less trusting of the world. That's the saddest part.

Elfstop wrote in post #15935574
You may already have a carry permit but if you don't you may need to get one...if you are going to leave it in your car....or better yet carry it. At least no one will steal it. Having a gun stolen from your car I would think is no different than having one stolen from your house during a burglary..unless the trunk was standing wide open it was locked. No liability.

Sorry about your loss...and you need a police report. Your stuff may end up in a pawn shop.

Certainly pass it to the police but having the crime reported will not get insurance to pay for it - most insurance companies (certainly over this side of the pond) have an exclusion for vehicles/property left unlocked. Any claim submitted in these circumstances is normally tossed straight away if there is an admission of leaving the vehicle unlocked.

If the person had seen you using it and decided to steal it it is unlikely that a lock or alarm would have stopped them but it is normally enough for insurance companies to pay up.

Sorry for your loss, that is a lot of expensive equipment. Definitely always lock your doors no matter what circumstance you're in. The studio I work for is in a pretty bad area in Phoenix and I will always lock my doors even if I am just going inside for 1 minute and coming back out again. I am also super paranoid about my equipment when filming most places. I don't like to leave my photography backpack because there are so many people that will just take the opportunity to steal it or steal the contents of it. I had my 4 wheeler out in the backyard area of the studio, which is surrounded by a brick wall and a gate that had two locks on it. Some people came by and stole my 4 wheeler one night like it was nothing. I'm lucky it wasn't more expensive than $800. I can't imagine losing thousands and thousands of dollars in photography equipment to thieves I would definitely be on the lookout on craigslist for your items. If you still have paperwork and some serial numbers you might be in luck if the thieves are stupid enough.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #15935449
Man, I hate to be the preachy guy when someone is down, and reading this I would have only offered sympathy and nothing else,...

....IF, it weren't for this;


Dude?
This is bordering on criminal.

Sorry.

Ever heard of a concealed carry permit? Not sure about NC, but here in Ohio it's perfectly legal to keep a handgun in your vehicle as long as you have the permit.

PKIDelirium wrote in post #15958808
Ever heard of a concealed carry permit? Not sure about NC, but here in Ohio it's perfectly legal to keep a handgun in your vehicle as long as you have the permit.

Doesn't matter what permit you have in NC....leaving an unsecured firearm of any type in a vehicle is not only illegal, it is opening yourself up to a world of liability issues.