Robert Campbell
Well-known member
I had a bagful of (Canon) equipment stolen at Geneva airport years ago. It's an awful experience; I feel your anger and pain.
The GetDPI Photography Forum
Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!
Stolen Leica equipment
- Thread starter Knorp
- Start date
thompsonkirk
Member
I got a sickening feeling just from reading your post. It looks like you had the best of Leica equipment. Any theft is a bad experience, but this was horrendous.
With luck it was a small-time thief who'll get caught trying to sell such an unusual array of gear.
Clearly you're not in Mokum (= a safe haven). Perhaps folks in the Amsterdam photo community will help you look for suspicious offers/ads.
Kirk
With luck it was a small-time thief who'll get caught trying to sell such an unusual array of gear.
Clearly you're not in Mokum (= a safe haven). Perhaps folks in the Amsterdam photo community will help you look for suspicious offers/ads.
Kirk
Knorp
Well-known member
Guess what ? One of my stolen lenses (August 2014) emerged on the Bay after all those years.
LEICA ELMARIT-M 1:2,8/24 mm ASPH. (S) S/N: 3872553
Listed by Setadel Studios
'Steve' and Jono Slack sent me a notification this morning.
This 'Steve' sent an email to them and so did I.
Well, now wait till Monday (give them a call) and see what happens next.
Still feeling depressed ...
LEICA ELMARIT-M 1:2,8/24 mm ASPH. (S) S/N: 3872553
Listed by Setadel Studios
'Steve' and Jono Slack sent me a notification this morning.
This 'Steve' sent an email to them and so did I.
Well, now wait till Monday (give them a call) and see what happens next.
Still feeling depressed ...
V
Vivek
Guest
Hope there is some resolution to this Bart.
scott kirkpatrick
Well-known member
It's too bad that you have to be drawn back into feeling your loss all over again, but I am impressed that Jono and one other caught the serial number. There don't seem to be good automatic tools for checking used listings. Was the EBay listing suspicious for some other reason? Setadel is a known seller, so this may be downstream from whatever process was used to fence your lenses the first time. Since all of your stolen goods have probably been sold on at least once by now, this shows we still need better registry services to catch stolen goods.
Please keep us posted on what you learn, especially if you are able to track back to when it changed hands in 2014 or so.
scott
Please keep us posted on what you learn, especially if you are able to track back to when it changed hands in 2014 or so.
scott
jonoslack
Active member
Hi There
I'm innocent of all praise - I was just 'found' by Steve, who was the guy with the eagle eyes
As I understand so far Setadel Studios were told by the police not to send the lens back to Bart, but to send it back to the person they bought it from (in Germany). I truly hope that Bart gets this lens back (and the others), but after the story of another member's 'found' noctilux I'm increasingly cynical about the police actually bothering to do anything in these cases.
At any rate GOOD LUCK BART
I'm innocent of all praise - I was just 'found' by Steve, who was the guy with the eagle eyes
As I understand so far Setadel Studios were told by the police not to send the lens back to Bart, but to send it back to the person they bought it from (in Germany). I truly hope that Bart gets this lens back (and the others), but after the story of another member's 'found' noctilux I'm increasingly cynical about the police actually bothering to do anything in these cases.
At any rate GOOD LUCK BART
Knorp
Well-known member
Trying to get 'your' stolen gear back can be a sobering affaire.
Although Setadel started cooperative, they remain silent now.
So, if they don't tell me who that seller is in Berlin, then I'm on a dead end again.
Btw - just noticed the lens is no longer listed on the Bay, time to contact Setadel again.
On a positive note: I was pleasantly surprised to read that 'my' lens still is in good 'nick' ...
Although Setadel started cooperative, they remain silent now.
So, if they don't tell me who that seller is in Berlin, then I'm on a dead end again.
Btw - just noticed the lens is no longer listed on the Bay, time to contact Setadel again.
On a positive note: I was pleasantly surprised to read that 'my' lens still is in good 'nick' ...
Cosmetics 9/10
-No dings, dents or major marks
-Barrel shows very modest signs of wear
Mechanics 9.5+/10
-Focusing is smooth
-Aperture clicks are crisp
Optics 9.5+/10
-No fog, fungus, separation or scratches
-No dings, dents or major marks
-Barrel shows very modest signs of wear
Mechanics 9.5+/10
-Focusing is smooth
-Aperture clicks are crisp
Optics 9.5+/10
-No fog, fungus, separation or scratches
k-hawinkler
Well-known member
Bart, this really sucks.
Does the Canadian police know the identity of the seller in Berlin?
Why not give you that information?
Anyway, good luck to your efforts.
Does the Canadian police know the identity of the seller in Berlin?
Why not give you that information?
Anyway, good luck to your efforts.
glenerrolrd
Workshop Member
Bart
Tough break .
I helped successfully recover stolen Leica equipment that was offered on eBay . Here is how to approach recovery .
1. You need solid proof that you own the equipment ..which means a bill of sale/invoice etc .
2. You need a recent photograph that has the exif information on the serial numbers .There is a free software application that can provide this .You will have to google for it .
3. You must be able to prove that the store has your items . My friend went in person and took a few photographs with the stolen camera on his card . He then documented that the store had his equipment .
4. Armed with proof he went to local police station and demanded that they help him retrieve his items .
You do not need to find the seller in Germany. They are in possession of stolen goods ..its the stores problem .
If you can not do the above you have almost no chance of recovery .
You only other option is to demand that the store return your items ...you may have to get an attorney to make it stick .
Tough break .
I helped successfully recover stolen Leica equipment that was offered on eBay . Here is how to approach recovery .
1. You need solid proof that you own the equipment ..which means a bill of sale/invoice etc .
2. You need a recent photograph that has the exif information on the serial numbers .There is a free software application that can provide this .You will have to google for it .
3. You must be able to prove that the store has your items . My friend went in person and took a few photographs with the stolen camera on his card . He then documented that the store had his equipment .
4. Armed with proof he went to local police station and demanded that they help him retrieve his items .
You do not need to find the seller in Germany. They are in possession of stolen goods ..its the stores problem .
If you can not do the above you have almost no chance of recovery .
You only other option is to demand that the store return your items ...you may have to get an attorney to make it stick .
fotoism
Member
Bart:
This is a Canadian company and they buy and sell a lot of Leica gear, as I had dealings with them before. Maybe if you skillfully remind them (never threaten anything) that their co-operation with you in handing over the stolen item the on-line Leica community will look at them as a respectable Leica shop which would do the right thing even in the face of possible financial loss. Of course you have to be able to offer them solid proof of your previous legitimate ownership in order to persuade them. They are a business and no business likes to take a loss, but they have to weigh carefully if they want the profit from the sale of this lens or their business reputation in the Leica community, or on-line photography community in general.
This is a Canadian company and they buy and sell a lot of Leica gear, as I had dealings with them before. Maybe if you skillfully remind them (never threaten anything) that their co-operation with you in handing over the stolen item the on-line Leica community will look at them as a respectable Leica shop which would do the right thing even in the face of possible financial loss. Of course you have to be able to offer them solid proof of your previous legitimate ownership in order to persuade them. They are a business and no business likes to take a loss, but they have to weigh carefully if they want the profit from the sale of this lens or their business reputation in the Leica community, or on-line photography community in general.