Have you ever had your equipment stolen?

Howdy gang!
I hope everyone had a great weekend. I was super busy this weekend with wedding and event work. While at one event on friday in a sports arena I was super cautious with my gear but noticed many other photogs were not. I tend to be anal anyway but then someone sent this link to me. It is actual video of a wedding photographers equipment being stolen. Sad!

http://cbs11tv.com …id=18845@ktvt.d​ayport.com

I tend to do most work without an assistant but not sure this is the best thing. Depending on the gig have my pelican case locked to a table but sometimes hesitate because it really slows me down.
What do you do to keep your gear safe?

Oh no, never I usually leave my gear at my seat, while I'm doing the couple shoot it'll be with me though

I read in a local paper that a photog. had her gear stolen from inside the church just after a ceremony!

I use a security enhanced bag... the Think Tank Airport Security. Tons of security features.

But I always have an assistant who is watching out stuff.

A local colleague of mine had an entire suitcase of studio lighting gear stolen from them. They turned their back for literally about 5 seconds and someone walked by and picked up the case... which was only about 2 ft behind them. It's crazy!!

I know what you mean. I hate to say it, but I judge the peopel that are at the event, certainly you can't do that. I know when I'm at family events with plenty of people I know, I don't worry. But when at my sisters wedding with tons of people I never met, I'm sure I will be carrying my stuff everywhere.

I always leave my laptop and camera bad unattended and so far it's never been touched. I also never take the 16GB memory card out of my camera, so it would take a pretty determined guy to grab my camera out of my hands in order to steal a client's photos.

i leave my gear bag (which is mostly empty anyway)unattended in the photog press area when i shoot football games. Never had anything stolen, but its a security monitored area. I know someone who got his gear stolen on vacation a few weeks ago. but thanks to insurance he got a free upgrade from a 20D for a 40D, so i don't think he minds that much

Does anyone have a strap they recommend for the pelican 1650? I think I might have to carry it around with me from now on.

www.pacsafe.com has travel/gearbag security products available just for photographers. I am thinking of purchasing pacsafe 85 from them soon. check em out!

I was looking into securing my bags at events as well
and thinking about those little devices that give a high pitched siren if the wire attached to it gets pulled.

If only I knew what to call it so I can find them.

jongobongo wrote in post #3996796
I was looking into securing my bags at events as well
and thinking about those little devices that give a high pitched siren if the wire attached to it gets pulled.

If only I knew what to call it so I can find them.

heres a start:

the SonicLock.

Its traditionally used for locking a laptop, and its motion activated.

http://dell.kensington​.com/html/2391.html

Also try the Targus Defcon1

http://www.targus.com …ct_details.asp?​sku=PA400U

the Targus one is perfect! thanks!

There has been a huge rash of stolen camera gear here in So. CA. In the last few years almost every photographer I know has had his gear taken from a reception. What happens is there is a team of two men, dressed in black, who enter the reception late in the evening. One keeps an eye on the photographer and/or DJ and blocks his view while the other grabs the photographer's bags and leaves. This has happened dozens of dozens of times here. These guys are very good at what they do. From what I have been told the gear ends up in Mexico and is swapped for cocaine which is smuggled back over the order here to sell.

I had my gear taken fron my office. Since my office is not "photographic" and no one would know a photographer is there I suspect that the gang watched me and my assistant at a wedding and since they saw us being careful with the gear they asked for a business card and broke into my office at 4 am. The alarm was activated but they grabbed only the two camera bags and were gone before the police arrived. I immediately removed my street address from my business cards and my web site.

Be very careful and get insurance!

Rick