FYI: Stolen Nikon Gear From Houston

[lokerd]

Originally Posted by LEO III

Anyway, I decided to check Snopes, and here is what I found:

Hmm. Interesting. When I heard the story, I spent some time looking around at TruthorFiction.com. I didn't think to try Snopes. Sorry to propagate the story. The email I had read had inserted a local store, the local stores managers name, etc. Wow!! Can't believe I got snookered like that!! I didn't rebroadcast it, still thinking it was fishy, but still, I kind of believed, it, even though I felt it MUST have been based on old technology remotes. Kind of like the old 800mhz non-trunked cell phones and giving your credit card info out over a cell phone, which was true.

Cheers!!

[kamari]

Originally Posted by khanhfat

This is probably the 5th thread i've read about stolen gear. I never leave my gear in the car ( even in trunk) when go to lunch or dinner after a shoot, I learned my lesson from post like this.

Hope you find your gear back.

I live on the flip-side of this theory: I happened to have left my gear in my car one day...only to arrive home and see that the house had been ransacked.

[LEO III]

Drew, I myself propagated the same story, but I don't feel bad about it, and neither should you. After all, we were both trying to make our friends and relatives safer. Been telling them the same thing for months, ever since my daughter told me. I was originally going to second your remarks, and I just wanted to do a little googling to get a little more info, when I stumbled onto the Snopes deal.

I don't know what to believe. My technical shortcomings are about equal to my photographic ones, so while the explanation in the Snopes article does make sense to me, that info is almost two years old. I know the bad guys are always trying to regain the upper hand. That is why I said that I'll go ahead and continue to lock my car manually. It might be not make a hill of beans of difference these days if, Snopes is 100% correct, but I'm in the habit now.

On the other hand, it doesn't much matter how I lock my car, if someone pops the lock or knocks out a window.

[MemoryMakers]

I have a friend that lives in Houston and stopped in Olive Garden before heading to the hospital to have her baby and someone broke in her car and stole her car seat, camera, video camera, the baby bag, etc. This happened in November so the thieves are out. I really hope you get your gear back or those bastards get caught!

[KLe]

Originally Posted by wisesafe

FYI:
The follwoing equipment was stolen from my vehicle on December 16, 2010 while eating lunch at Cavatore's in northwest Houston:
Nikon AF-S 14-24mm, f2.8, ED
Nikon AF-S 18 - 105mm, f/3.5 - 5.6, VR
Nikon AF-S 24-70, 2.8, ED
Nikon AF-S 70-200mm, f/2.8, ED, VR
Nikon D300s Digital Camera
Nikon D90 Digital Camera
Nikon SB900 Speedlight
Nikon SB900 Speedlight
Nikon SB900 Speedlight
Think Tank Airstream & Urban Disguise 50
RSS Ground Pod & BH 55 Ball Head
Numerous accessories

Serial numbers are available

Hey David, I feel you on this one. My stuffs was stolen in Houston last week as well, same scenario. We stopped by a restaurant for lunch after new year. Everything was in our trunk, my brother in law put only a small personal bag in the bag backseat. My driver side was the only one have lock (2009 Camry), they pop the lock and stole 3 laptops, a D3000, SB600 and two other backpack. We were coming home from holiday trip so trunk is pack with stuffs. This look like a trend as the cop we talk to said. People around the area (Westchase) also said 15 mins eating lunch and your car can be broken in.

[KLe]

Originally Posted by lokerd

I can't believe they bothered to break into your car. Was there anything that tipped them off that there was something worth breaking in?

.

I do believe they target the area without some type of surveillance. That's what the police officer we talked to said too.

[Nena2007]

I am so sorry that this happened to you! I've left my gear in the car before... never again.

This has happened in Sugar Land in Telfair multiple times. Photogs shoot there a lot and leave their cars in the small parking lot. The thieves smash the window. You can almost always see piles of glass there. Really sad that some people are that desperate!

[Angelo]

This can happen anywhere.
We never know....

Just have to be extra vigilant.

[RedRaider]

Man, hate to hear about what happened, but....

You don't ride around Houston with all that gear near Christmas time, especially with the economy being like it is. If it was all visible in your vechicle, it's like leaving your windows down and the doors unlocked, with a sign that says..FREE GEAR

[amator]

Actually we did it in another country to avoid windows smashed. The same night Police was knocking on our door that someone broke into our car There was nothing left valuable in the car of course [QUOTE=RedRaider;1231011... it's like leaving your windows down and the doors unlocked, with a sign that says..FREE GEAR[/QUOTE]

[bhmcclen]

The idea for an itemized list of gear with serial numbers & value is excellent. It is also worthwhile to add an insurance rider to your homeowners policy. I also had gear stolen (D80, SB-800 & 18-200 lens). I did not have a rider at the time but have one now that covers all my gear. It's relatively inexpensive and well worth it.

[stephenpinn]

As I mentioned before, if you just do an insurance rider you will still have to cover the cost of the deductable, in many cases that is 1-2% of the insured value of your home. Although it will cost more and will require extra documentation you are better off talking to your inscurance agent about an all perils policy