Seeing the topic on the lost laptop reminded me that traveling with lots of gear over time can put one at risk of losing much money very quickly. A semi-skilled thief with a crowbar can be in and out of a vehicle or its trunk within a minute or two, taking whatever valuables they can cart off easily.
I recommend that photographers visit the local Home Depot and purchase a Greenlee box in a size that works for their vehicle. (These are the green metal boxes a lot of construction workers stow their tools in--they lock very securely with two padlocks that have just the key area exposed.) Pad and partition the box for your gear, bolt it in your vehicle, and lock your goodies in it when you're away from the car.
This won't foil a truly determined thief with a plasma cutter or cutting torch, but it most certainly will cause the smash and grab folks to move onto the next victim's vehicle.
Mike Murphy, photo editor
Texas Highways, the official travel magazine of Texas
www.texashighways.com
If I am going to leave my laptop and/or camera gears in the trunk, I do it beforehand. Not when I get to my destination and then put them in the trunk. What if someone saw me putting something in the trunk? That person must think it has to be something valuable for me to hide it.
I've been considering a lockable gear container for the car. But can it be installed so that I can easily remove it to get to the spare tire if needed, installation is water proof and doesn't rust around the bolt holes, and can be removed and the holes plugged if I sell the car.
I'm not too concerned about padding, I'd probably still keep my gear in bags and then put the bags in the box.
I'm a believer in the "out of sight, out of mind" concept. I do keep gear in the trunk but it's well hidden (trust me). I also leave a couple of 'red herrings' out in plain sight consisting of an old bag I don't use anymore which contains an old 300mm FD lens that is cracked, a 28mm FD lens with a jammed focus ring, a cheap flash unit that hasn't worked in years, and an old crappy tripod I picked up for $5.00 20 years ago. The second bait is my fake auto kit. It has a non-working emergency CB kit with a shorted antenna, a few really old flares, and a 12vdc car-vac that has never worked properly.
Although I've never lost any gear from the trunk, a thief would have to know where to look and how to get there (harder than you might think), before finding anything of value. Obviously my hope is they will see the bag of old photo crap and unusable car stuff and take this instead.
BTW, I also remove gear I'm going to use from the trunk a mile or so before I get to my destination, especially if it's a out of the way trail-head.
If you walk through a crowded public area with lots of camera, gear, don't be surprised if thieves are watching you, and follow you back to your car. If you put the gear in your car, then walk somewhere else, you can count on it being gone when you return..... even if it's in the trunk. I NEVER leave my gear in my car, no matter what. If I go to a restaurant for dinner, the bag comes with me and is placed under the table at my feet (sometimes with my leg through a strap. Even if you did construct a safe place in the trunk.... I'm not sure I'd want my gear baking in the car on a hot day.....
Edited by Ben Horne on Apr 09, 2004 at 06:00 PM GMT
Ben Horne wrote:
If you walk through a crowded public area with lots of camera, gear, don't be surprised if theifs are watching you, and follow you back to your car. If you put the gear in your car, then walk somewhere else, you can count on it being gone when you return..... even if it's in the trunk. I NEVER leave my gear in my car, no matter what. If I go to a resturant for dinner, the bag comes with me and is placed under the table at my feet (sometimes with my leg through a strap. Even if you did construct a safe place in the trunk.... I'm not sure I'd want my gear baking in the car on a hot day........Show more →
This is an all too common problem in San Francisco. Take it with you, don't leave it in the car no matter what!
I have found that leaving a grenade with the pin pulled under the bag works pretty good. Hidding your gear in the trunk under a dead body is effective too. :worried:
Does anyone ever remember seeing a post with a guy who had ( I think this is what it was) A diamond plate box that was bolted down in the back of his tahoe through the floor and attached to the frame. That looked like quite the setup. But I agree not leaving it anywhere is the best solution, I always feel nervous even leaving it for a minute, and i rarely do, i keep it near me almost all the time. You never know what kind of people are out there, especially after they see you walking around with some equipment out.
Ben Horne wrote:
If you walk through a crowded public area with lots of camera, gear, don't be surprised if theifs are watching you, and follow you back to your car. If you put the gear in your car, then walk somewhere else, you can count on it being gone when you return..... even if it's in the trunk.
Amen... This is why I never pull, or add, gear to the car in plain site within a mile or so of a destination, usually more...
I'm not sure I'd want my gear baking in the car on a hot day.....
I don't leave heat sensitive gear in the car under most circumstances. I have two tripods and two monopods I carry in the trunk as well as all of my heads. These are not sensitive to heat for the most part, yet I still try to place my car under shade if at all possible. I will also leave a few lenses and other gear in the car if I'm satisfied that I will be away from it for a short period of time, and heat will not be a problem (winter, overcast, etc). Once again, you'd have to see my trunk to understand what you, don't see. There is also another feature I've added for temperature protection...
Isca wrote:
John, how much you selling those lenses for? I'd love ot be a fly on the wall after somebody stole that garbage!!!!!
I want to be at the pawn shop when the owner starts laughing his ass off...
stan23 wrote:
This is an all too common problem in San Francisco. Take it with you, don't leave it in the car no matter what!
This is why I never move gear in/from the car near my parking place, You're just asking to be ripped off.
BTW, I'm in SF on a regular basis, and I used to work at a club in North Beach during the early 80's (Keystone Family). When I got off I'd have to access my vehicle sometimes carrying several thousands of dollars worth of AV gear at 3:00-4:00am. I carried a S&W 45mm and Mace (before it was legal for citizens) much of the time but thankfully never needed to use it.
Ron Warren wrote:
I have found that leaving a grenade with the pin pulled under the bag works pretty good.
The last time I did this I was spitting shrapnel for a month...
Hidding your gear in the trunk under a dead body is effective too.
I also tried this, but the university started asking why I needed bodies so often. Besides, in summer.... well, let's not go there
krames wrote:
Does anyone ever remember seeing a post with a guy who had ( I think this is what it was) A diamond plate box that was bolted down in the back of his tahoe through the floor and attached to the frame.
That's pretty close, it's armored to some degree, but mine is harder to spot...
It's sad my 'photo car' needs to be replaced. It took a lot to make it as secure as it is. Unfortunately, although it only has 100,000 miles on it (little for a 80'S Accord), it's 17 years old. All the rubber and seals are starting to rot which is starting to affect its reliability on the open road.
Never leave your kit unattended anywhere, as Ben says it goes with you to the coffee shop or toilet.
Several years ago I had a personal FE2 Nikon and some nice prime lenses nicked from the boot of my car parked well up my driveway overnight, after I forgot to bring it inside after arriving home. That was bad enough, the whole kit was not even equal in value to what I paid for my D60, I would be shattered if my Digi Kit with 2 DSLRs, 2 flash units and lenses went the same way. Once bitten twice shy.
I am a huge fan of my Truck Vault. I had the Magnum in my old 4Runner, and I thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Not cheap, but well worth the expenditure.
I have a new 4Runner, and I think I am going to forego the magnum version, and get the reduced height model, and have the drawers spilt into two different, independent, ones. And, of course, locks on each drawer. If you are considering a Truck Vault, spend the extra few dollars and the the rotary locks, and not the locks that require keys. Just one more thing to lose.
Jeez - let me scare you guys - I drive a softtop wrangler - no secure storage. I use a Pelican case, with a pelican lock, and a bicycle lock/cable to my seat frame and stuff it all behind the passenger seat. Lordy - should we all run around in stark naked fear all the time and create strong boxes made of advanced military materials ? I don't think so, at least from an amateur's perspective.
Having been a victim myself of theft, from having left it in the car, because it was too heavy for me to carry - though not too heavy for some lucky theif - only lost AUD$25.000 - D60 with complete set of L-series lense from 16-300mm.
Insurance! what insurance? no cover in the car!
So, to anyone else, don't leave anything in the car! Take it from me! AND, today it is never too heavy to carry, I rather break my back!
I hope this will never happen to anyone else! I am still paying for this!
Ben Horne wrote:
I NEVER leave my gear in my car, no matter what. If I go to a resturant for dinner, the bag comes with me and is placed under the table at my feet (sometimes with my leg through a strap.
It'd be interesting to see you stop for lunch on a trip when carrying the following:
two 1D's
24/1.4
35/1.4
85/1.2
135/2
300/2.8 IS
500/4 IS
16-35/2.8
24-70/2.8
70-200/2.8 IS
1.4x TC
2x TC
Gitzo 1588 monopod
550-EX flash
Arca-Swiss B-1
Wimberly Sidekick
Flash mounting system
Canon Off-Shoe Cord 2
Better Beamer
Various bags
I just bought some peace of mind for my equipment: zero deductible insurance, $8500 worth for $97 per year through State Farm.
I still take the normal precautions, but I can't tell you how much relaxation while traveling that $97 buys me. Nice to be able to leave my gear in the hotel room for a change, no worries. Still won't leave my stuff in a car, that's just inviting problems.
