Re: [Leica] Stealing cameras

[Scott Busby <busby@illuminet.net>]

For a glimpse of what's popular with camera thieves, check out my list
of stolen cameras at:
http://www.illuminet.net/~busby/magicbox/scr/scr1.html

True, there's not a lot of Leica stuff, but there is some nonetheless.

Scott Busby

Jim Brick wrote:
> 
> I've had two Leica systems stolen. One in San Francisco, Lombard Street,
> under Coit tower. The other at the visitors center at Point Reyes National
> Seashore (North of SFO). Broke a window of my van and took everything they
> could find. Everything was covered, nothing in plain sight. No hint of
> photo equipment.
> 
> An interesting experiment would be to:
> 
> Lay out, on a park bench, a few cameras. A Nikon, Minolta, Canon, Pentax,
> and an M6. Then ask a thief or a fence, if he could take all but one
> camera, which would he leave. I believe the resale market for stolen name
> (publically recognizable) brands far exceeds that for Leica. I believe the
> Leica would be left. A thief wants *money* and he knows what is instantly
> recognizable and resalable.
> 
> The Thieves that snach and run have absolutely no clue as to what kind of
> camera you have, it's just a camera.
> 
> A very close friend of mine (and camera store salesman - many of you know
> him) just got back from a photography trip to Cuba. He went to an area
> recognized as risky. He had a small backpack over one shoulder which
> contained an M Leica and lenses, he was photographing with an N90, he had a
> small fanny pack on, and a money belt under his pants. While photographing
> some children in the area, a very large man came running at him. The man
> grabbed the fanny pack from around his waist, ripped it off, and ran. He
> DID NOT TAKE the N90, he DID NOT TAKE the backpack containing the Leica,
> and he had no idea that my friend had his money in a money belt under his
> pants. He obviously thought that the small fanny pack was where the loot
> was. All that was in it was... a couple of Band-Aids, some neosporin,
> chapstick, and some aspirin. My friend was not hurt.
> 
> Thieves are after recognizable money sources. In third world countries,
> cameras aren't always the best thing to steal. They may be hard to fence.
> IMHO, taping-up a camera is like using a UV filter on a modern lens. It
> serves no useful purpose.
> 
> Jim