Re: [Leica] Stolen Leicas--how do you prevent that from happening?

["Sal DiMarco,Jr." <sdmp007@pressroom.com>]

Luggers,
    The best way to avoid having your equipment stolen is to use a little
common sense.
    It is probably safe to say, when I travel out of town on an assignment I
carry much more equipment than most of you. At the very least, I carry three
bodies and six lenses. Let's not forget the large Halliburtons with the
strobes, and the golf bag sized hard case with light stands, soft boxes,
tripods, etc. or the large telephoto lenses. Traveling light for me is a
dream.....
    First of all, I never walk into a hotel with cameras visible. They are
always packed away. Second, if I do have a lot of heavy stuff, I'll leave in
locked in the trunk of the car. If you are really paranoid get yourself on
of those aircraft wire bicycle locks and you can wrap it around the trunk
lock and a strut of the trunk for added protection.
    Next, I never leave anything photographic visible in the room.
    Film boxes, caption envelops, nothing is left out for the maid to see.
    When I leave my camera bag or equipment in the room, I either put it in
my suitcase, or cover it with my garment bag, and toss my dirty underwear on
top. Nobody steals dirty underwear or bothers with it for that matter.
    The wire mesh bag is a good idea, but what do you attach it to? In the
last three hotel rooms, I've stayed in there was nothing strong enough to
attach the bag to deter a thief.
    Usually, I try to stay at the "better" hotels, but it is no reason for
letting down your guard. During a Photokina a few years ago, a buddy of mine
from the National Geographic had his passport, money, and credit cards
stolen from his room and he was staying at an Inter-Continental, I think.
    If the assignment requires street shooting, I rarely have more than two
cameras visible and I do not use Domke bags. Any photographer worth his
Tri-X can lift a lens out of a colleague's Domke bag without getting caught.
If a Photog can do it, a thief certainly can. I try to blend in whenever
possible, and I do not use fishing style photo vests. I think it made you
more visible.
    I use soft unpadded Brady fishing bags. It is next to impossible to take
anything out of theses bags without feeling it. Billingham bags are styled
after the Bradys, which I'm not sure are still being made.
    Well, that's my humble opinion.
Happy Snaps & Labor Day,
Sal DiMarco, Jr.
Philadelphia, PA