It is a gut wrenching feeling. You return to your home, office, or car only to discover that you are a victim of a theft. All the items you have worked hard to acquire are gone in an instant with little to no chance of recovery.
Believe me, this really sucks. Unfortunately, theft is becoming more and more common and it has become a question of when, not if, it will happen to you. In December of , we were victims of theft while working out of town on assignment. Just hours before a session, everything in our rental car, from the camera to the toothbrush, was taken. I would like to share what we learned from this experience and the things that you should know to protect yourself and be best prepared.
Keep in mind, if someone wants it, they will get it. Keep a record of the equipment you own. I was good at this. I kept a very detailed spreadsheet listing all the studio equipment cameras, lenses, lights, computers, etc. This spreadsheet has the model name, purchase price, and serial number. I thought this was enough. However, you will also want to keep the receipts of these items to prove purchase as well as the date of purchase.
More on this later. In addition, it is also a good idea to register your items with the manufacturer. Have Insurance. Yes, this seems obvious. However, there are some things you should be aware of. You will need a separate policy for your gear. However, you must opt-in. It is not automatic. Go to ppa. Traveling Awareness. We learned this the hard way. We had flown to Houston for a client session and had rented a car.
We were to meet some friends for dinner so we drove to the restaurant. Upon arrival, I opened the trunk, got some items from my bag, placed other bags in the trunk, shut it, and walked away. That was the last we saw of our belongings.
