Videographer captures the theft of his own camera gear on-camera
Jul 8, 2020
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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It happens that gear theft gets caught on security cameras. But a very weird footage was captured at an anti-racism rally in Toronto this Sunday. A thief was caught on camera while stealing a backpack full of camera gear – and it was all filmed by the gear’s very owner.
The backpack belongs to producer and videographer Javon Martin, who set up his camera to film the rally. His backpack was on the stairs that were in the frame, so I guess he kept an eye on it. But then a man who was sitting near it started looking around, then he stood up, took the backpack and left.
Global News reports that the backpack contained between $5,000 and $10,000 CAD worth of gear (that’s around $3,680 – $7,350 USD). There were lenses, ND filters, cables, adapters, accessories as well as laptops and hard drives in the backpack. But what’s worse is that the hard drives were full of data. According to Javon himself, some of the material was filmed “even before social distancing.”
According to Global News, Javon said that the police “are aware of the incident.” However, he posted about on his social media without actually filing a report. The reason is reportedly that Javon supports defunding of the police and would prefer those resources to be spent on “supporting people in the black community.”
I honestly find it unusual that a professional videographer doesn’t back up his work, especially if it dates a few months back. I would also never leave my backpack full of gear that far from me, even if it’s in the frame. Still, we all make mistakes and it’s not up to me to judge. Javon appeals to anyone who might know where the backpack is, or who sees some of the gear being sold, to reach out to him.
[via Light Stalking, PetaPixel]
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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29 responses to “Videographer captures the theft of his own camera gear on-camera”
Why did he leave his gear alone?
I always try to remember not to set my bag down.
I also try to carry only what I need so that my backpack isn’t too heavy. Which I think is why most photographers sit their bags down to begin with. They pack them with a lot of equipment… I’ve been guilty of that myself.
No offence but this photographer got what he deserved for being stupid setting his bag down and leaving it unattended. I have sat my bag down in the past when out on shoots where I have needed multiple lenses and gear but I ALWAYS set it down in front of me, open it, grab what I need out, then zip it back up and never walk away from it. Then because he believes in the whole defund the police movement and not reporting it as stolen….yeah his insurance company is going to love him… forget about them covering the theft without a police report….in the words of Dr. Gregory House….MORON!!!
You can say the outcome was expected. But deserved? That’s a fucked up thing to say. It just tells us that, given the opportunity, you’d steal someone gear as well.
Why the hell would I steal someone’s gear when I have my own that would likely be equal to or greater in value than any other photographer that may be out there working doing street photography or protests etc… I am saying it was expected as he was stupid and left his camera bag likely open in the public in a crowd of hundreds, eventually someone would come by and steal something out of the bag or the entire bag with all the gear in it, as well as it is expected as he stupidly left it out of eye shot and unattended… I say it was deserved because he was a moron for walking away from his camera bag with all his gear in during a protest, leaving it unattended and out of eye shot. That is the dumbest move any photographer can do. My backpack is NEVER out of eyeshot and more than 3-6 inches from me when I am out shooting street photography or events. If I need a lens out, I put it down and unzip it, pull the lens out and change them up, then I zip my backpack back up and put it back on my back. If I need to have it laying on the ground to do quick changes of lenses, I leave it open but the backpack is right in front of me as I kneel and shoot. Plain and simple this guy is a moron!! Plus to be a part of the defund the police movement, and then after getting his gear stolen to try and file an insurance claim for it without a police report, he’s a special kind of stupid for sure!!
I imagine you’re the first to say a rape victim was asking for it. What a charmer you are.
And he will not file a report with the police because he wants the police defunded. So well played Karma. Well played.
Jason Dunning Since he did not call the police, my guess is that he was in on it. Probably an empty backpack and wants other people to buy him gear.
Mr Schickler – obviously you would do something like that, but in spite of that, other people have decency and ethics. You can check a dictionary to find the meaning.
I think the more moderate “defund police” would include some police for stuff like this, but the idea is to have funding for other things like social care staff. Also insurance needs police report and you to not leave your stuff unattended.
Seriously. What is going on inside his mind?? This isn’t even enough to make him realize that the police aren’t all stranglers, most of them do actual work to go after actual criminals, and maybe that’s a good thing. Even after this he still hasn’t made that mental connection because he’s blinded by his emotion rather than using logic and intelligence to respond to things rationally.
Well played, well played I could try this then start a go fund me or someone will do it for me, I’ll be sure to include the police are evil tho and not report the incident tho. Well played son well played. Standing ovation
Absolutely. Why would not be wearing his backpack or at least have it by his feet? Odd that he was filming it too. Nothing else in the shot is worth filming. And by not involving the Police he can’t face charges if the guy gets caught and admits he was in on it or if he reveals that the bag just had some clothing in it.
in no way shape or form would i live £5,000-£10,000 worth of gear just sitting there. That backpack is welded to me.
No insurance will pay up without having it being reported to the police. I appreciate he doesn’t want to involve the police but that his property that’s been stolen…not sure why he’d not want to get it back
I hope that guy in green is more responsible with his new camera gear than this guy… enjoy your new hobby.
What’s with all the posts defending a criminal? Stealing isnt that common here in Canada, I guess it is in your areas?
Great story for the GoFundMe…
You actually think the police would get his stuff back? ?
apparently the photographer is a dumb ass..leaving his equipment laying around like that..got what you asked for
canadian commies r even more stupud than usa’.
Insurance?
Lol, this is a joke, right?
Whole bunch of mental ineptitude with this fuckery of a story. So much stupidity in one video.
I’m also a photographer. My original response was to post to Twitter to help get this guy’s equipment back. But after thinking about this for a day or two I have a sh*t tonne of questions. Why was he carrying all his gear? (Like EVERYTHING including laptops [as in more than one?] and hard drives. If I took all my gear with me I would have to lug a full size suitcase! My external hard drives and laptops don’t leave the house. I leave with two of my camera bodies [one mirrorless, and one DSLR] with appropriate lenses attached with one of my trusty 40mp camera phones in my pocket and maybe one of my tripods) Why did he leave it unattended? (My camera equipment is as precious to me {and likely as expensive} as some people’s personal vehicles. Leaving my camera bag anywhere would be the equivalent of you leaving your vehicle parked out front with the keys in the ignition. So maybe to say he deserved it is a bit harsh. But, if this is for real, he learned a valuable lesson.) Why did he just stand by and watch it being stolen … Are you kidding me? You don’t even hear him grumble about it as he’s recording. Trust me you’d hear me grumble and then some. Then for him to say he didn’t file a police report, yet, if someone sees his backpack anywhere to reach out to him. What is he going to do? Without a police report he will likely end up in hot water with those very police he wishes to defund. So why doesn’t he set up a Go Fund Me page with a list of all the stolen equipment. I would have contributed. He’s getting all donations in cash sent directly to him. He has posted to his Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/p/CCSCFAeFR2a/) stating in writing “I’m not doing a go fund me, but I’ll do some discounted videos” to, as he explains, replace his laptop. Well what’s he going to shoot them with? No worries. I’m just gonna hang onto my extra cash. Buy myself some new gear.
How come in the first part of the scene the alleged thief is sitting in the same row with the bag and the bag is not in the aisle. When the bag is taken, the alleged thief is sitting above the bag and the bag is now in the aisle? If the videographer was watching, wouldn’t he have seen the guy move his bag and change rows?
why would you leave your gear that far away from you?
Bummer u call ?❓❓❓
Did they catch the guy?
Middle class white guys are the biggest thieves.Someone should enlarge that image and post it all over the net, and track the pig down.