"...I suggest you write up a description of what was lost and fax it with serial numbers to the major camera stores in San Francisco. Does this sound far fetched? Thieves often go right to the major stores since they don't really know what the stuff is and Fox photo isn't going to help them out. It is too specialized for most pawn shops. They sell it with a sob story that explains why they don't know anything about it. At least in California, the stores are supposed to run the serial numbers of what they buy used to make sure the stuff isn't stolen. In reality they usually don't do this. When I got cleaned out back in 1991, the thief went to a MAJOR LA Camera store and the stuff was traded in with a story about how it belonged to his dad blah blah blah....Make it a one page fax which gives instant notice that it is a list of stolen property, reference the Report # with SFPD or whoever you reported it to. Describe whatever bag it may be brought in when it comes time to fence it. Also, read your own insurance policy, don't take the agent's word on it. Check your auto policy for possible coverage of items stolen from the car"
"...DITTO, ABSOLUTELY, Get a description, serial numbers, ANYTHING and fax it around, walk in to any and all camera stores. Most reputable stores are very co operative in this area and have lists of serial numbers and check equipment they take in against them. I have heard stories of stolen equipment returned."
You can forward the serial numbers to eBay, though I don't know if they'll check for you. Definitely take the list (mentioning the bag description) to the pawn shops in the area as well as the photo stores. If you were a regular customer buying photo gear from a pawn shop, they may remember you and be extra helpful. Make sure to file a police report if you haven't already-- I know they won't do much, but this way it goes on record as being stolen if a shop receives your gear and decides to check beyond your list.
As you build up gear again (sigh!!!), put a couple of dots of some kind of bright nail polish on each piece to mark it distinctively. That will help, if G-d forbid, your replacement gear goes missing someday (or just gets jumbled in a pile with others' gear, which is more common). A lot of folks in the susboid community have those little diamond-tip marking things, so you can put a name on gear too. You can mark stuff really tiny-- I marked all my drill bits, even the 1/32 size, but then again I am a control freak. :-D Put a less-visible mark (like inside the camera) to complement a more visible outside mark. Even if folks look for an outside mark and buff it off, they may not look for an inside mark if they've found the obvious one already.
(no subject)
Ow! That sucks, and I'm sorry to hear about it.
http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003Efj has a lot of tips on recovering camera gear. A couple of excerpts:
"...I suggest you write up a description of what was lost and fax it with serial numbers to the major camera stores in San Francisco. Does this sound far fetched? Thieves often go right to the major stores since they don't really know what the stuff is and Fox photo isn't going to help them out. It is too specialized for most pawn shops. They sell it with a sob story that explains why they don't know anything about it. At least in California, the stores are supposed to run the serial numbers of what they buy used to make sure the stuff isn't stolen. In reality they usually don't do this. When I got cleaned out back in 1991, the thief went to a MAJOR LA Camera store and the stuff was traded in with a story about how it belonged to his dad blah blah blah....Make it a one page fax which gives instant notice that it is a list of stolen property, reference the Report # with SFPD or whoever you reported it to. Describe whatever bag it may be brought in when it comes time to fence it. Also, read your own insurance policy, don't take the agent's word on it. Check your auto policy for possible coverage of items stolen from the car"
"...DITTO, ABSOLUTELY, Get a description, serial numbers, ANYTHING and fax it around, walk in to any and all camera stores. Most reputable stores are very co operative in this area and have lists of serial numbers and check equipment they take in against them. I have heard stories of stolen equipment returned."
You can forward the serial numbers to eBay, though I don't know if they'll check for you. Definitely take the list (mentioning the bag description) to the pawn shops in the area as well as the photo stores. If you were a regular customer buying photo gear from a pawn shop, they may remember you and be extra helpful. Make sure to file a police report if you haven't already-- I know they won't do much, but this way it goes on record as being stolen if a shop receives your gear and decides to check beyond your list.
As you build up gear again (sigh!!!), put a couple of dots of some kind of bright nail polish on each piece to mark it distinctively. That will help, if G-d forbid, your replacement gear goes missing someday (or just gets jumbled in a pile with others' gear, which is more common). A lot of folks in the susboid community have those little diamond-tip marking things, so you can put a name on gear too. You can mark stuff really tiny-- I marked all my drill bits, even the 1/32 size, but then again I am a control freak. :-D Put a less-visible mark (like inside the camera) to complement a more visible outside mark. Even if folks look for an outside mark and buff it off, they may not look for an inside mark if they've found the obvious one already.
lots of hugs!!!