My 40d's sad, sad story...

Robinivich

So I was heading for a week to Victoria BC, visiting friends, seeing the city, investigating apartments, and taking pictures. Unfortunately, not 3 hours after the plane hit the tarmac, my 40D, 10-22mm, and 50mm, were all stolen with the bag that carried them, sitting inside my buddies car. So first there was the shock, the filing of a report with the police, then a good several hours kicking myself for being so colossally stupid about my most prized possessions. Shortly thereafter I'm able to get the police the serial numbers, which the officer doing the filing says is a good thing, but no word so far on anything.

Now, after suffering through the week without my gear, I'm home, so I've photocopied receipts, summarized everything lost, and that stuff is on its way to the insurance place. I don't really have any idea how the homeowner's insurance is going to work out, or how it even operates, I am apparently out at least a $500 deductible.

So I guess I'm posting this to hear about the experiences of others in dealing with losses like these, and advice on where to go from here.

I'm afraid that gear-wise I've only lost things I love, and would get again in a heartbeat.

sherijohnson

What a bummer! I know recently we went out for a day and my husband couldn't understand why in the world I would carry my gear bag into a restaurant while we eat lunch.... um, I wasn't about to leave it in the car especially not to expose to temperatures, etc. I think it was hot out that day.

ziggy53

sherijohnson wrote:

What a bummer! I know recently we went out for a day and my husband couldn't understand why in the world I would carry my gear bag into a restaurant while we eat lunch.... um, I wasn't about to leave it in the car especially not to expose to temperatures, etc. I think it was hot out that day.

I go so far as stepping into the camera strap while I eat if I have to set my bag on the floor. If somebody tries to grab the bag, I'll know about it.

Robinivich

sherijohnson wrote:

What a bummer! I know recently we went out for a day and my husband couldn't understand why in the world I would carry my gear bag into a restaurant while we eat lunch.... um, I wasn't about to leave it in the car especially not to expose to temperatures, etc. I think it was hot out that day.

I remember going through this thought process, and that's the agony of it, I was right on the fence between leaving it and hauling it into the pub with me, and I chose wrong... :cry

leaforte

Thieves suck! On top of it all, the violation of your property.

ziggy53

Robinivich wrote:

... I'm posting this to hear about the experiences of others in dealing with losses like these, and advice on where to go from here.

I'm afraid that gear-wise I've only lost things I love, and would get again in a heartbeat.

So sorry to hear about this. I don't have experience with many insurance claims but I understand that insurance companies and policies vary.

It sounds like you have established your claim and validated the loss so now it's a waiting game. Unless you find the perpetrator I'm afraid that yes, you are probably out of at least the deductible. The insurance company may also devalue your equipment unless you had the type of policy that allows full replacement cost.

Please keep us posted.

Moogle Pepper

Man that blows! What were they doing in your friend's car and not on you?

Whenever I go out traveling with my gear, I am either sleeping with it, on my back, or on my feet where I can feel it under the table.

LivingLarge

Do you know where your camera bag is???

ziggy53 wrote:

I go so far as stepping into the camera strap while I eat if I have to set my bag on the floor. If somebody tries to grab the bag, I'll know about it.

Great Idea! And who cares what anyone else thinks. My wife and family already consider me Crazy...with a capital C!

I will do this in the future, however I have also noticed that most camera bags have clips on the strap. I have unclipped mine and threaded it thru a chair or other large object with the same purpose in mind.

I refuse to be a victim.

zacker

dang that sux... I usually leave my gear in my car too... ive only had to worry about it on a couple occasions when in a sorta "sketchy" area.. I usually always have my small canon shoulder bag, monopod and tripod on the floor in the back of my truck, the body always comes inside the house but if i go into a store, it goes on the floor and i throw an old towel over it along with a baseball hat and some only gloves, it looks like nothing more than a pile of garbage. Maybe i should re think things and take the came in the store/resturaunt/gas station with me..

Awais Yaqub

Oh man so sad

Art Scott

I know this sounds terrible ...... but I have what I call control TRASH.....it is just crumpled paper and washed out pop cans and crumpled up napkins....some sacks {clean never used) from fast food places (yea all the ones I DO NOT EAT AT) in a large clear trash bag.....that is on top of my gear in my car.....I have had my sister and friends ask if I ever clean my car....well of course I do....it stays vac'ed ....but that one bag comes and goes.....I also have small cooler for trunk if I am going to be away from gear for a very long while. For sumer use I have Medical Foam "ice" bricks and in winter I use the open and shake glove heaters (they will go for around 10hrs per little back.....it is just enuff heat to keep batteries at their prime.

Robinivich

zacker wrote:

dang that sux... I usually leave my gear in my car too... ive only had to worry about it on a couple occasions when in a sorta "sketchy" area.. I usually always have my small canon shoulder bag, monopod and tripod on the floor in the back of my truck, the body always comes inside the house but if i go into a store, it goes on the floor and i throw an old towel over it along with a baseball hat and some only gloves, it looks like nothing more than a pile of garbage. Maybe i should re think things and take the came in the store/resturaunt/gas station with me..

This is actually what gave me a false sense of security. The car is something like a 1980 subaru station wagon, rust everywhere, nasty, no trunk, but the back was, without offending my buddy too much, full of junk, so I tucked it under some towels and odds and ends, and thought "No one in their right mind is going to break in, dig through this junk, and find this pack." In hindsight, my friend had a little ipod stereo thing that would have been visible from the street, and it must have been enough. However they did it, they didn't break anything, but the car had been locked, so there you go. It's funny, amoung the junk was my friend's $300 hiking backpack, and his equally valuable pair of sunglasses, which had been pulled out, looked at, and left there.

ziggy53

Robinivich,

In addition to supplying the police and insurance company with the serial numbers, if you want the stuff back also inform local pawn shops and such of the same information.

It sounds like you did the right things about covering your bag and trying to disguise the contents of the vehicle.

Good luck with the insurance company.

ChatKat

Sorry
Sorry to hear that people do this...state of the world...

I just came back from France and my camera never left my side for a minute. I use several ways to hide my camera from plastic or cloth grocery bags to lunch sized/6 pack ice chests to cheap purses when I travel so that no one would think of grabbing my gear when I am out and about.

The floor is one of the prime places that gear gets stolen when you are in a restaurant. Thieves know to target that area. Mine stays on my lap and attached to me somehow.

Robinivich

ziggy53 wrote:

Robinivich,

In addition to supplying the police and insurance company with the serial numbers, if you want the stuff back also inform local pawn shops and such of the same information.

It sounds like you did the right things about covering your bag and trying to disguise the contents of the vehicle.

Good luck with the insurance company.

Thanks!

I had set a fair bit of time aside on that trip for photography, so you can be sure the local pawnshops learned to recognize me

chuckinsocal

That's a real bummer. You're living one of my worst nightmares :cry .

I have no idea how large a city Victoria is, but maybe you can get your buddy to shop the pawn shops in the area to see if your gear turns up in one of them. There's a good probability that the thief was looking for some quick cash and pawned it early on.

I bought a camera bag at a camera store several years ago that had a Nikon label on it. The guy at the store advised me to cut the label off so that thieves would't instantly realize that there is an expensive camera there to be had. That doesn't solve the problem but does mitigate the risk some.

Again, I'm sorry for your loss.

angevin1

I am so sorry to read about your plight. I think many of us have had similar experiences, I know I havem, but I figured it was just my fault.

Two things:

1. Prolly someone was watching ya'll hide yer gear.

2. If a Subaru of that vintages' door is LOCKED and left slightly ajar, or if it has become ill-fitting from wear, it can be opened by pushing it closed. When you push them closed it unlocks them.

oh...and one more thought. I think Ziggy is right on about the pawn shop. The clue being , they took yer buddys shades out, looked them over and then decided better of it...probably cause they are very local to that area and would be wearing them.

feelin yer pain~~tom