Deter Thieves by Uglifying Your Camera

Dear Martin,

You have to wonder, don't you? Yeah, they're going to look REALLY CLOSELY (and check the serial mumber) before they steal it.

Consider a parallel with guns. Colt National Match first series, or $25 Brazilian Saturday night special. Which is better for robbing a liquor store?

Tashi delek,

R.
 
I loaned a Leica Mini to my friend's son, who was in a sleeper compartment traveling in Central Europe. During the night, all the digital cameras were stolen, and the Leica left. So much for brand recognition.

A number of friends have lost digital cameras, and the card with the whole trip on it.

My friend used to carry 3 M6's in Europe and Mexico, he taped over the Leica with black tape.

Probably an Inland Marine Policy is the best way to carry good stuff in most places, but I can see why someone would do this in remote places where replacement equipment is not a likely option.

I think I would like to know up front which tape will come off, without the camera finish.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Dear Martin,

You have to wonder, don't you? Yeah, they're going to look REALLY CLOSELY (and check the serial mumber) before they steal it.

Consider a parallel with guns. Colt National Match first series, or $25 Brazilian Saturday night special. Which is better for robbing a liquor store?

Tashi delek,

R.
Click to expand...

Better than a Singer Colt 1911? ;-)

Put s few rounds through my friend's at the range, before he sold it for $125.

J
 
JohnTF said:
Better than a Singer Colt 1911? ;-)

Put s few rounds through my friend's at the range, before he sold it for $125.

J
Click to expand...

Dear John,

Never tried a Singer Colt 1911 but my wife inherited a 1934(-ish) National Match.

Never tried holding up a liquor store, either. Doubt they're impressed by brands...

Tashi delek,

R.
 
So now thieves are aware that ugly cameras are as good as good looking, with small efforts?
 
I tape white labels/engravings on black cameras just because they attract attention when I raise the camera to take a photo. Same with the red dot. I'd rather not have subjects in photos looking at the camera. Remaining aware of one's surroundings is a better way to avoid getting thieved.

Of course, there are places in this world where no amount of camouflage is going to prevent thievery.
 
I often take a Nikon F3 rigged with a motor drive, AH-4 wrist strap, tripod baseplate, and a short tele on the subway.

The rig weighs about five pounds. I haven't been stoped by the police, but it can clearly be used as a deadly weapon to pomel a skull. I believe any potential robber gets the picture.

I just visited Tom A's site. I imagine my M6 with one of his Rapidwinders and a Rapidgrip as a very menacing looking weapon, especially with the dagger exposed. Tom even mentions that he avoids having his camera weaponized when having to go through airport security. I'd do this before making my Leica ugly.

With the downturn in the economy and the resulting increase in violence and crime, I deter any attack or attempt by being ready. Been doing a lot of physical conditioning as a deterant, especially pushups. I don't look vulnerable at all with the added bulk. Its a differant world after September 11th in New York.

Calzone
 
I have to say that uglifying Canon A95 is pretty pathetic and more telling about the owner. No, your shiny-fake-chrome P&S is NOT hot in most places of this dangerous world.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Dear John,

Never tried a Singer Colt 1911 but my wife inherited a 1934(-ish) National Match.

Never tried holding up a liquor store, either. Doubt they're impressed by brands...

Tashi delek,

R.
Click to expand...

Roger,

All the stores in France are Liquor stores, you are showing the corruption with American culture. ;-)

Was part of a bizarre story, my friend rarely keeps anything of value long, witness the 60 or so cars come and gone, many more cameras, but we were chatting with his neighbor, retired WWII Col. and he offered up a Colt for $25, so I loaned my friend the cash thinking he had recalled that I was looking, but he kept it, foolishly had it reworked a bit and sold it. Later I found they were one of the rarest of the WWII -- you may know there were some companies like Rock Ola, IBM, Smith Corona, and yes Singer, working under contract. So we, unknowingly, took out a $10K piece and put a few boxes of hard ball through it.

As in cameras, most shoot better than I.

Have you seen the Leitz finder? I was very surprised at how small and clear it was, another "something else" in the box, but perhaps I can finally easily use some of my 135mm lenses.

Of course, I have to use Kentucky Windage yet with the M8, but am finding that more common than not with RF's. May have to look harder at the M3's and burn some XP2.


I also think it really depends on where you are, probably nothing I can do will allow me to pass for a local, which is why I so valued the company, savoir faire, and photographic skills of my friend Florencio in Mexico. My time in Prague has also taught me there are things that attract thieves faster than others. A digital camera or cell phone is a quick few dollars there, the guys at Skoda tell me when a Leica comes in and they know it is stolen, they make an attempt to find the owner. A dymo sticker inside of a light meter and a calculator got them back to me. Pencils on my desk were printed-- Stolen From-- but it made the students steal more of them. ;-)

I would be happy to hear some suggestions on discreet ways of helping get stuff back, am not too good at keeping my serial numbers down, though Leica has me registered to the M8.

Seems the theft of things at night on the trains is quite common.

I did sell an M2 with someone's SS on the base plate, that cost me, probably more than the base plate was worth.

John
 
btgc said:
So now thieves are aware that ugly cameras are as good as good looking, with small efforts?
Click to expand...


Thank goodness the low degree of taste in the average sneak runs more towards the items that bring a quick $20 or so.

I saw more than a dozen thefts, and thieves selling in second hand shops one summer in Prague, it took chasing down five guys with my wallet, and buying it back for $20 to open my eyes. I used to leave my cell phone there with friends, who then had it stolen on the Metro. Honestly, if I can find my old cell number, people who called it by mistake for years got some guy speaking Russian, the guy never changed the Sim card.

Also, anything in or on a car parked on the street at night is ripe for the plucking.

They might sweep something high end up more by accident as far as I could determine.

The shops tell me a dead give away with a stolen film camera is someone asking for them to take out the film, they pocket the film and ask if they want to buy the camera.

J
 
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