A burglary changed my mind

[p.giannakis]

I have to say, when it come to cameras, i generally split them into two categories, the ones i use and the ones i hold and admire. This is how i ended up with a collection of 20 cameras - Nikons, Canons, Olympuses, Voigltlander and a Leica.

I am a cheap-skate too - with the exception of the Leica (which i got for £300 anyway) i never paid more than £150 for any camera (more likely to be around £50-£80 in car boot sales). So I can't say that I have spent a lot of money for my camera collection - if anything my film negatives are more valuable (to me).

Last night there was a burglary next door - the alarm went on for an hour - i feel sorry for the guy but made me think. I thing i should just sell all of my cameras except from the ones i use regularly and buy film and photographic related chemicals.

Better this way than stolen i suppose...

 

[Erik van Straten]

Hard to believe that burglars are interested in your old fashioned cameras. This kind of people usually think that film is no longer available and that those cameras are worthless.

Erik.

 

[benlees]

It's better not to worry about it. Bad things happen all the time but that doesn't mean you have to change your life. If you want to keep your cameras, keep them. If you want to sell them to fund other exploits, then sell them. Selling them to keep them away from thieves makes no sense.

 

[Richard G]

I reckon I'd keep them too. Quite a lot of work selling cameras, especially 15-20 in one hit. And the financial return is not great.

I was very worried when we went away two weeks ago and the house was unattended for eight days for the first time in a long time. I took with me my M9-P and the Hasselblad. My M2, given to me by my father and my first camera, I just put on a higher shelf, and the main shelf with all my cameras I festooned with unfiled rolls of 35mm and 120 negatives, empty films canisters, box-ends etc etc. and I was banking on Erik's view prevailing. I did hide the Monochrom and three lenses in a new bag in a very high cupboard where all the cases, folding chairs, backpacks, sleeping bags etc are kept. In a sense I am hoping my old film cameras are good camouflage for the more expensive digital ones.

 

[Tim Murphy]

Call me naive, but I don't worry about things like that

Call me naive, but I don't worry about things like that

Dear P. Giannakis.

I do have the benefit of living a bit out of the way, but I never locked my vehicles up until 5 years ago when a fly reel and my prized Buck 110 knife that I had from when I was kid were stolen from my truck.

I can tell you this. While I understand the how and why for some who have responded regarding saying that they stash their gear when traveling, I could never do that. I'd forget where I put most of the stuff and wind up re-purchasing replacements. 😉

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg, PA 🙂

 

[Robert Lai]

Thieves have to be careful in the Southern US, because most home-owners here have guns - lots of them. The thieves are likely to be after the guns too, since they are quite valuable. Most of these idiots are drug addicts looking for something cheap to pawn off so that they can buy their next hit of drugs.

Worst case I know of happened to a colleague. His wife came home one day, thief followed her into the house. I guess her situational awareness was low. He robbed her, and shot her in the face 9 times, killing her. He got away with $15 in the purse. He never even bothered to ransack the house. When the husband got home, he was wondering why the car in the garage had the driver's door open, and the keys still in it. The garage door to the house was open. His wife was dead in the kitchen.

Killer tried to make a withdrawal at an ATM, and was identified by police using the ATM cameras. There is a death penalty here. I hope they use it on this scum.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Don't worry about older cameras.
When I was burglarized in March, 2013, the thief took my favorite camera bag and two Nikon 2nd generation digital bodies. D2x and D2Hs. They also got a 14mm lens, 17-55mm and a 24mm f/2.8 Ai that I had just rebuilt.

They opened the green Domke bag with a Nikon SP with 3.5cm f/1.8 mounted and Leica M4 with DR Summicron mounted but I guess they thought they were worthless. Just the Leica body was worth more than the whole digital kit EXCEPT for the fact that with that theft, I lost my job. I had just moved there and I didn't have insurance covering my gear for professional work. Not to worry, the bureau of Newsday I was working for closed two months later.

Anyway, I know who the thief was. It was my neighbor. I could never prove it though. Had the Leica M4 been gone, I would have made a rash decision and my neighbor would have been at least scared, if not injured.

Phil Forrest

 

[ptpdprinter]

No homeowners insurance?

 

[Phil_F_NM]

No homeowners insurance?

I'm a poor renter. I had renter's insurance but no renter's insurance policiy will cover photo gear which is used in a professional capacity.

Phil Forrest

 

[Archiver]

I agree that selling gear on the offchance that it might be stolen doesn't quite make sense.

Most burglaries are done by junkies who want easy money in the form of cash, jewelry, and easily pawnable items. Film cameras look like nothing to the average junkie burglar, touch wood.

If you have more expensive gear, leave it at the bottom of a pile of cheap plastic cameras. I'm only half-kidding here. That's probably the best camouflage.

Having said that, if I'm away for an extended period of time, my more important gear either goes with me, or is put into cases and stashed with family. This includes harddrives containing photos.

 

[Archiver]

Don't worry about older cameras.
When I was burglarized in March, 2013, the thief took my favorite camera bag and two Nikon 2nd generation digital bodies. D2x and D2Hs. They also got a 14mm lens, 17-55mm and a 24mm f/2.8 Ai that I had just rebuilt.

Anyway, I know who the thief was. It was my neighbor. I could never prove it though. Had the Leica M4 been gone, I would have made a rash decision and my neighbor would have been at least scared, if not injured.

Sufficient time has now passed. Revenge is a dish best served cold. Especially when it looks like an accident. 😉😀

 

[BillBingham2]

Years ago you could get coverage from different "Associations" (groups of like professionals). Can't speak to today, but some folks out here might have coverage for professional stuff. Riders for small collections may not be a big deal, but I have no experience with insurance on that side of the pond.

Odd are they will take what they think they can sell quickly. Jewelry, watches, cell phone, tablets, game consoles, TVs, laptops, desktops, quick cash is the goal, easy carry is what they need. On this side of the pond, guns are another favorite target for threat. Use to be you would see LOTs of NRA stickers on cars. Then the owners put two and two together that the rash of truck gun thefts was caused by knowing who had a gun locked somewhere inside. Don't see hardly any these days.

Do you have the model/serial number and pictures of all in the cloud for easy access?

Will having the cash in the bank bring you as much fun as your collection? If not, enjoy them.

Do you need the cash? If not, enjoy them.

They are things that you have spent time and had fun tracking them down. Things can be replaced. Time, friends, family can't.

B2 (;->

 

[richardHaw]

Thieves have to be careful in the Southern US, because most home-owners here have guns - lots of them. The thieves are likely to be after the guns too, since they are quite valuable. Most of these idiots are drug addicts looking for something cheap to pawn off so that they can buy their next hit of drugs.

Worst case I know of happened to a colleague. His wife came home one day, thief followed her into the house. I guess her situational awareness was low. He robbed her, and shot her in the face 9 times, killing her. He got away with $15 in the purse. He never even bothered to ransack the house. When the husband got home, he was wondering why the car in the garage had the driver's door open, and the keys still in it. The garage door to the house was open. His wife was dead in the kitchen.

Killer tried to make a withdrawal at an ATM, and was identified by police using the ATM cameras. There is a death penalty here. I hope they use it on this scum.

this was very difficult to read. one of the reasons why I escaped to Japan 😱😱😱

life is not perfect here but at least its safer than most places, even Singapore where I spent part of my life in. 🙄

 

[skucera]

Last night there was a burglary next door - the alarm went on for an hour - i feel sorry for the guy but made me think. I thing i should just sell all of my cameras except from the ones i use regularly and buy film and photographic related chemicals.

Better this way than stolen i suppose...

Around here, burglars steal anything they can sell for their next dose of meth... TV's, computers, jewelry, cell phones, cash, stereo components, documents they can use to do identity theft, and especially guns. Old film cameras would be seen as valueless, since they can't really be traded for drugs.

If you're worried about someone rifling through your camera gear, store them in some back closet in unmarked boxes that make them look like you got tired of them and haven't touched them for years. We humans have quite an instinct to beautify the presentation of possessions we love... not just camera collectors, but everyone. As much fun as it is to store cameras in lighted display cases, nothing draws the eye of visitors (wanted or not) than a fancy presentation. We may as well have flashing Las Vegas signs pointing at something that says "take me."

One of the best ways to ward off burglars as to simply have a dog... the bigger the better....

Scott

 

[x-ray]

I can't believe none of you have gun safes, I own two. They range in price from a couple hundred dollars to a few thousand. Chances are you don't need a very large one and the cost would be cheaper than getting an insurance policy.

I have both in closets with one anchored in concrete downstairs and the other anchored in a wooden floor upstairs. They both have dial combination locks that would require someone with safe cracking experience to get in. These things are extremely secure.

You can lock all your valuables in it and important papers with your cameras and lenses. It's smart, secure and inexpensive. Most sporting goods stores carry a variety of sizes as prices.

 

[Rayt]

Yup. We were robbed by a gang of 13 year olds. Can’t live in fear.

 

[p.giannakis]

All replies point to the obvious - no need to spoil my enjoyment over something that might never happen.

Actually a PC visited us last night and told us that there is a gang of thieves that target high performance cars in the estate. I own a 20y.o. Volkswagen Polo, I can run faster than it. So no need to panic.

But it is interesting how the mindset changes when you perceive you are in danger.

 

[Richard G]

I can't believe none of you have gun safes, I own two. They range in price from a couple hundred dollars to a few thousand. Chances are you don't need a very large one and the cost would be cheaper than getting an insurance policy.

I have both in closets with one anchored in concrete downstairs and the other anchored in a wooden floor upstairs. They both have dial combination locks that would require someone with safe cracking experience to get in. These things are extremely secure.

You can lock all your valuables in it and important papers with your cameras and lenses. It's smart, secure and inexpensive. Most sporting goods stores carry a variety of sizes as prices.

You are right. I have looked a few times. Never seen quite the right thing. And unless it's really locked down in concrete, maybe it's a temptation for the thieves to really have a go to get it out and take it with them, causing a lot of damage. But I will get one and ought to do it soon, for the papers and a few family photos mainly.

 

[DanskDynamit]

don't worry, be happy.

 

[Malcolm M]

Make sure you have a list of serial numbers. Then if you are burgled, they might turn up in a local camera or second-hand dealer, or these days, on eBay. If they are daft enough to have accepted a cheque in payment, the police can go round and charge them with at least a minimum of handling stolen goods. I speak from experience.