2 Bessas, 2 Canon LTM lenses stolen.

[caffeineshutter]

It happened a couple of weeks ago. Two Bessa Rs -- one black, one silver -- and a Canon 50/1.8 and 100/3.5 are gone. Argh.

The police came by to take a report but I was less than encouraged. By their demeanor, stuff like this evaporates all the time; they're taking a report appears to just make the victim feel a bit better.

That said, what should my next steps be? Call the pawn shops, local camera stores? I have the SN# of all of it, but whom do I send them to? Oftentimes (ex. musical instruments) there's a database maintained of all stolen gear and serial numbers.

I'm now looking for a reasonably affordable M2/M3/M4 to mount one of my remaining lenses on. If anybody's got a battered but working example, please let me know.

CJ

 

[MickH]

Sorry to hear about your loss. B'stards!😡

Why not pop the serial numbers, as full a description as you can and the location they were nicked from up here. I guess the membership would quickly become aware of this stuff turning up on ebay or similar sites (?).

Got to be worth a shot.

 

[Graham Line]

Keep an eye on eBay and Craigslist as well.

 

[Paul Jenkin]

Absolutely disgraceful. Commiserations and I hope you get it back.

Incidentally, was your gear insured? I do hope so and that you have no problems getting replacements via your insurers.

I've worked as an underwriter and, most recently, product manager for various insurance companies (commercial insurance NOT home or motor) for almost 30 years and I do wonder about getting insurance on RF kit - particularly the older stuff.

In the UK, we have 'new for old' basis of settlement on most home policies. Apologies if I'm telling you something you already know, but that means that so long as you pay a premium based on what it would cost to replace with equivalent new gear, that's what you'll get if your stuff is lost, stolen or damaged and the cover operates.

The difficulty, I suppose is that there isn't new equivalent gear to replace a lot of RF gear (or most film cameras come to think of it). Therefore, you might need to approach your insurers to agree an 'indemnity' type basis of cover - effectively allowing your insurer to replace your equipment with equipment of similar age and condition - usually for a reduced premium.

If you do agree an 'indemnity' basis of cover - make sure it ONLY applies to the items that can't be replaced as new. Also, only consider this basis of cover on items you know are readily available secnd hand. Don't have this basis of cover across your policy as a whole as it will cause more problems than you can imagine in the event of a claim.

The obvious issue is convincing your insurer that the equipment you had was in the condition you say it was. However, so long as you take photos of it and keep receipts / servicing bills and agree a good replacement market value up front, it should work okay.

Anyway, very best wishes and hope the Police nail the criminal who did this to you.

Regards, Paul.

 

[caffeineshutter]

Thank you all for your kind words, and Paul Jenkin, your expertise.

This has been a Mobius curve of frustration, but briefly:

Last month some kid ran a red light in Boston and clobbered my car. Since I has relatively low miles, the insurance co. didn't 'total' it.

I waited five weeks for it to be repaired.

In the meantime I drove a rental car; a Mitsu Galant. Oddly enough, it was parked outside my apartment with the factory alarm on. The next day the passenger side window was smashed and my GPS & Bessas gone. They left the Canon Sure Shot P&S...so they knew the value of what they'd found.

I made some calls, found that the loss isn't covered by Enterprise Rental, and I dropped my apartment theft/loss insurance a while back.

D'Oh!

FYI: Both bodies are in very good condition, except the black R has a small chip in the paint, and the silver Bessa R has 5-6 small 'bubbles' next to the rewind crank which appeared a few months ago. (no idea why--corrosion under the paint?)

The 50/1.8 has only a metric scale on. It has a Hoya 40mm filter on it and a vented hood purchased from 'HeavyStar' on EBay.

The 100/3.5 is the small black + chrome version; distance marked in feet. It has a black-metal Tiffen UV filter on it.

SN#s soon to come...


Thanks,

CJ

 

[Paul Jenkin]

Hey CJ, sad story my friend!

I really hope you can be reunited with your gear. Even if you'd had insurance, in the UK most insurance policies carry a standard exclusion of property stolen from unattended vehicles. I suspect it's likely to be the same the world round.

(Unattended is often defined as a situation whereby the owner is far enough away from the vehicle not to be able to prevent the loss - i.e. you couldn't get to the vehicle in time to stop the thief).

Hindsight's always 20:20 but I suppose the lesson to be learned is don't leave anything you can't afford to lose in a car - locked or otherwise. I'm as guilty of it as anyone. Just tonight I left my M6 and lenses in a bag in the boot of my wife's VW Polo. I will make a resolution to take my gear with me when I leave the car.

I am really sorry to hear your news and I wish you a much happier 2008.

Regards, Paul.

 

[Al Patterson]

I've sometimes left my small camera bag with the Canon QL17 in it in the trunk, but the CLs and SLRs come with me. I've carried them into work a few times rather than leave them in the trunk.

I am sorry to hear about your loss, but without insurance it's just tuition in the school of hard knocks. Been there, done that. Now that I'm making decent money, I *ALWAYS* have renters or homeowners insurance. I never buy the extra cr@p the car rental companies try to sell me though.

 

[John Elder]

We all learn this lesson the hard way, Never leave equipment in the car. I lost 2000.00 worth in the 1986 while in a park near Rochester NY. The ranger told me it was the first theft in the park in like 5 years. Big insurance hassle, total loss. Maybe you will get lucky, check out all the pawn shops asap. Look on ebay for the 2 lenses, they will tend to stick out. Put a no questions asked ad in your local paper offering a reward for the return of the property, a REAL long shot.

 

[Mudman]

Post reward signs around your house. I had a professor who left his $20,000 flute on the subway in NYC, postered the place with reward signs and got it back for something like $300.