Chuffed Cheese
Established
It's too bad it got press. He would have had an easier time getting it back if so many didn't engage in bidding it up.
Huss
Veteran
Yep, all these postings and telling people to look out for the ebay listing messed things up for him. Whoever found the ebay listing should have just let him know. Then he could have won the auction with a normal price, received the lens, then showed the authorities how he got it back, that it was stolen (he did file a police report, no?) and get his money back.
The conversion can be done by DAG for less than $1500
- the last quote I got from him.
At most another $1500 for the lens before conversion.
fake bids or some really uninformed bidders.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
A couple of years ago there was something similar with a stolen black M and summicron on eBay. The Metropolitan police was involved back then,
David Hughes
David Hughes
I wonder why ebay were involved but not the police at an earlier stage...
Regards, David
Regards, David
nukecoke
⚛Yashica
Sumarongi
Registered Vaudevillain
Exactly, if one is in a foreign country and becomes a crime victim, one shall immediately call the proper authorities, forememost of course one's own Consulate or Embassy. If one neglects to do so, how should a private company like Ebay be of any help?
BLKRCAT
75% Film
Why? I think that if the auction went off legitimate then there's a chance that a real buyer could have bought the lens and had it shipped off before ebay or the police could get involved.
At least this way the auction is for sure going to be a waste and it will possibly delay the exchange of the lens to another hand.
With the person in possession of the lens known right now I think it's their best chance of getting the lens back.
Chuffed Cheese
Established
victim blaming is the new fad
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
One of the feedback provided calls him thief.
rubercoober
Member
This happened during a stopover in Guadalajara, the night before he left. In turn, imagine waking up the next day with a $3000 lens stolen and who knows how many hours before he had to hop on a plane? No time to rush to the embassy/consulate or whatever. And it's common knowledge that the Mexican police are corrupt and considering that the seller is known for selling stolen goods and is mafia affiliated, I doubt the police would do anything for him had he turned to them for help.
rubercoober
Member
No problem, just trying to help out a fellow photographer. I don't know him personally, but was chatting back and forth with him yesterday trying to figure out what to do. Seems like a nice enough guy and the cause was good.
Man, I was honestly thinking the same thing. If he or someone he knew could buy it at a normal price and scam the seller out, he'd have his lens back. Now I worry that it's lost to the ether of stolen goods in Mexico and will not show up again now that the seller is likely aware of the situation. I can almost guarantee that it won't show up on eBay again, and if it does, the serial number will be obscured and the description won't be as detailed/easy to determine that it's his.
We'll see though. If anything, it was a nice gesture from the photography community to band together to help him out.
Sumarongi
Registered Vaudevillain
Duh, Prisencolinensinainciusol, alrite?
Huss
Veteran
Bottom line. Insure your gear.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
Would you risk it? This is likely to be a gang that steals day in and day out, and they will have your home address.
rubercoober
Member
That was the next thing that came to mind. No real winning here, I wouldn't be interested in any mafia having my home address.
Zhengyang
Newbie
Maybe you should leave a police station address as yours : )
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