Stolen equipment recovered USA

Chalk one up for the good guys.

Am I just being pedantic, but I didn't see a single "film" camera in that story. Saw some Alexa's, some ENG cameras, some "live"(triax) cameras, etc. But no film cameras. You'd think with 69 "film cameras" recovered you'd see some in the video/pictures.
 
Glad to see this.
Interesting plan they are doing: rather than steal and turn around and sell, they steal and rent.
Sounds like any production people could be targets since we all have expensive gear.
 
When TV stations still used to shoot on real ENG cameras, they were huge targets for this type of organized crime. The stories that I heard were that a lot of it was based out of Central and South America and they would actually come to the U.S. with "shopping lists". They would case stations and follow people to figure out patterns and vulnerabilities. It was highly organized and orchestrated. It wasn't just some drug addict or kids looking for a quick buck. I've heard stories, especially in places like Miami of these thieves actually knocking down the back door to break into TV stations and cleaning out the ENG camera lock-up room. Big events, think NCAA basketball tournament, political conventions, etc. were also prime picking for these dirtbags, too.
 
I was in Miami back in about 1999-2000 for an event and we worked with the local affiliates a little bit, they had to pull all the stickers off the news cars because people were jacking their cameras. Most all of the vehicles had to park inside a garage when back at the station, and certainly inside a fenced compound.
 
Sorry to say but I bet a majority were stolen from baggage claim. All a bad guy needs is to track delayed flights and target travel cases around the carousel.
 
Tom Roper said:
Sorry to say but I bet a majority were stolen from baggage claim. All a bad guy needs is to track delayed flights and target travel cases around the carousel.
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How does that work? Doesn't the baggage travel in the plane with the passenger? If the flight was delayed the baggage would be too.
 
Several US-based camera rental houses were hit a couple years ago. Two of the higher-end places near me were victims.

Thieves drove a car through an industrial rolling door of one rental place and stole some stuff (stuff that wasn't in their rather large safes, at least).


For the other, thieves broke into the neighboring business and then smashed a hole through an adjoining wall, covered the security cameras, cut phone lines, etc. Got quite a bit of stuff (much of which was eventually recovered).


The thieves weren't messing around and knew what they were looking for. I'd think the recovered cameras etc are likely from targeted pro thefts like these.
 
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Run&Gun said:
Chalk one up for the good guys.

Am I just being pedantic, but I didn't see a single "film" camera in that story. Saw some Alexa's, some ENG cameras, some "live"(triax) cameras, etc. But no film cameras. You'd think with 69 "film cameras" recovered you'd see some in the video/pictures.
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They are using the word "film" loosely. As in, the cameras are used in "film production" ( and thus are "film production cameras" or "film cameras". ). Same as many of us do when we say we are working "on a film" or when we say "a film is being shot near where I live" or "I am seeking funding for my next film", even though we know that the "films" are shot with electronic cameras and there is no film emulsion to be found on those sets.

In one statement the authorities involved with the sting refer to the gear as "film production equipment", the cameras being part of the "film production equipment" and likely as a result referred to by others in LEA and the reporting media as "film cameras".

Cameras that make films. Not cameras that are film-based in nature.
 
This is sad news �� But at least some got recovered eventually!

Some very very very expensive lenses, cameras, and lights there.


However, I did find this comment on reduser to be quite funny:

Well, this is just plain insulting to Sound Recordists:

"Argentinian cable news channel TN said the haul included 33 tripods, 224 precision film lenses, 69 film cameras, 82 lights for professional use and two microphones."

Two mics for 69 cameras. Even thieves don't show Sound any respect.
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http://www.reduser.net/forum/showth...in-Argentina&p=1824381&viewfull=1#post1824381
 
Batutta said:
How does that work? Doesn't the baggage travel in the plane with the passenger? If the flight was delayed the baggage would be too.
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Example:

On domestic flights to a destination, your flight gets delayed because a repair was needed for the plane on the ramp. The airline doesn't have the part so it contacts other airlines, they come up with the part but it has to be flown in from another hub. Some passengers with miles upgrade to another flight that leaves sooner but most don't. But the baggage flies on ahead to your destination on the other flight. Because you were checked in, the requirement that bags match with a ticket holder is met. The bag arrives at the destination hours before the traveler. It circles the carousel for a while, eventually being removed by the airline's airport contractor where it is held for the traveler. But before that happens, it is vulnerable to anyone walking off with it, sitting duck. Camera equipment is not hard to identify because of the travel cases/trunks they ship in. Next time you are in baggage claim with some spare time, walk down the oversize items bins and you may be surprised how many cases appear orphaned for the taking.
 
Stuff gets stolen in the back rooms before being loaded on the belts. TSA doesn't do very good background checks on employees.
 
Greg_E said:
Stuff gets stolen in the back rooms before being loaded on the belts. TSA doesn't do very good background checks on employees.
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This happened to us years ago. I've posted about it before. We had an F900 that went down on us and had to ship it back to the rental house in NY. A courier picked-up the camera in the case and somewhere between it being checked-in at the departing airport and being picked-up in Newark, it was removed from the case. They had the receipt/records with the weights showing it was in the case at check-in and gone before pick-up. It was kind of surreal being woken up the next morning to a phone call from the rental house and the guy on the other end asking, "You did put the camera in the case before shipping it back yesterday, right?".
 
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