Video of Armed Theft in SF Prompts Photographers to Rent Safety or Flip Down Jobs
A video exhibiting an tried armed theft of a marriage photographer final week is drawing new consideration to an increase in thefts focusing on photographers within the San Francisco space. The newest violence has prompted some photographers to show down shoots within the space and others to rent safety.
On Nov. 9, a photographer was taking wedding ceremony portraits on the Palace of Tremendous Arts in San Francisco when two armed assailants tried to seize the digicam bag. A witness captured the scene in a smartphone video which reveals two armed suspects trying to seize the backpack off the photographer’s again. After a couple of minute, the 2 suspects fled empty handed. According to CBS News, the photographer, who relies in Dallas, Texas, was bleeding from a head damage after being pistol whipped. The photographer mentioned he refused handy over his gear due to the images inside them. According to ABC 7 News, thieves manages to steal a digicam bag in a separate incident on the Palace of Tremendous Arts that very same day.
The video is simply one of several similar incidents in the San Francisco area, together with an armed theft earlier this 12 months at Twin Peaks, which was additionally caught on digicam. Marriage ceremony photographer Laurent Martin, of the San Francisco based mostly duo Helena & Laurent, says that San Francisco has all the time been a metropolis the place valuables shouldn’t be left in vehicles. However, during the last two years, the husband and spouse crew has began listening to extra tales, usually the place somebody runs up, grabs the digicam or bag, and runs off. The couple tells us they even know a photographer who has began hiring a safety guard throughout shoots. Some photographers have said that they won’t be shooting in the area anymore.
[Read: Photographers Robbed of $7,000 in Gear While Stuck in Traffic]
Laurent’s spouse Helena, who usually shoots solo, now hides a reminiscence card after the ceremony. She says she’s going to usually ship her bag forward to the reception and shoot with only one digicam and an additional lens. She doesn’t hold gear within the automotive and by no means digs gear out of the trunk when on location.
“San Francisco has all the time been a metropolis the place you don’t go away your stuff within the automotive or your luggage seen,” says Laurent. “…the potential of being burglarized as you’re utilizing the digicam has elevated. We didn’t take into consideration this eight years in the past and even 5 years in the past.”
The San Francisco Police Department suggests conserving luggage near the physique, hiding valuables and staying conscious of the environment—but in addition advises avoiding utilizing cell telephones in public, as they’re a typical goal by thieves. Photographers could also be significantly weak as a result of cameras are extremely seen valuables with out the protections of options like Discover my iPhone, and looking out by a viewfinder limits the power to stay conscious of the environment.
[Read: What’s the Right insurance For Your Photo Business?]
“We consider it takes all the neighborhood to maintain us secure,” Officer Robert Rueca, a Public Info Workplace with the SFPD, tells Rangefinder. “If you happen to see one thing suspicious, say one thing particular.” The officer says that witnesses ought to name 911 instantly and be ready to supply an outline of the suspect, the suspect’s actions and route of journey. If it’s secure to take action, Rueca provides, take a photograph or video.
The latest armed theft has drawn extra consideration to a petition began final 12 months asking camera manufacturers to add anti-theft systems. “Among the many nefarious, the key is out: digicam gear is the right factor to steal,” the petition reads. “It’s of excessive worth, holds its resale worth, and is compact and straightforward to hide. We can’t change this. Extra importantly, nonetheless, digicam gear can’t at present be tracked or remotely disabled. Anybody can flip it on and function it. We CAN change this.” The petition asks for cameras to be outfitted with options comparable to those who assist stop smartphone theft, together with passcodes, GPS monitoring, biometrics and distant disabling. It additionally requests lens pairing, which would depart lenses stolen off digicam our bodies nonfunctional.