Thieves snatch €10,000 of Cork photographer's equipment

Gregor Samsa

A timely reminder to always keep an eye on your gear.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/thieves-snatch-10000-of-cork-photographers-equipment-516644.html

The future of a Cork photographer business is in doubt after equipment worth between €10,000 and €12,000 was snatched in broad daylight.

Just after 4pm yesterday, Ger McCarthy was standing on Patrick's Hill waiting to photograph the participants of the Tour De Munster.

He briefly set down his two Nikon professional cameras and two lenses of the same make and seconds later they were gone.

Two men were spotted in a red Toyota Corolla taking the equipment and making off in the direction of MacCurtain Street. [...]

Very unfortunate indeed. Hopefully the stuff will be recovered, or covered by insurance.

I had a Sony Alpha A100, a couple of lenses, an Apple laptop, video camera, couple of iPods and a SatNav stolen from a holiday apartment in Berlin a few years ago. I'm not a pro, so it wasn't my livelihood taken from me, but it wasn't a nice experience. As the apartment door was locked, and the door was forced in, it was all thankfully covered by my home insurance. In the end, all I lost was a week's worth of cool pics.

I remember in Barcelona a good few years ago, taking pics at the square beside the Gothic Cathedral, noticing a guy following me. The only thing I had on me was a Minolta SLR, so I assume he was after that. I zoomed in on him in a very obvious manner, took a couple of snaps, and reloaded my film. He saw that I copped him, and split.

My wife had a compact camera taken right out of her hands in Havana, with it up to her eye. The thief sped past her on a moped, and snapped or cut the strap at the point it connected to the camera, just leaving the strap on her wrist.

Fnergg

Why is his business as a photographer in doubt due to this theft?

Surely he was insured and is covered for theft?

Regards,

Fnergg

mrboswell

Insurance, insurance, insurance....

Paulw

Sounds like he had no insurance. Only himself to blame.

I also read about a photographer who was mugged and robbed at the riots in the UK. In that situation, his insurance wouldn't cover him, since he had intentionally put himself in a danger zone, by going in to photograph the riots.

It always pays to know what you are and aren't covered for.

Coriolanus

Paulw wrote: »

Sounds like he had no insurance. Only himself to blame.

I also read about a photographer who was mugged and robbed at the riots in the UK. In that situation, his insurance wouldn't cover him, since he had intentionally put himself in a danger zone, by going in to photograph the riots.

It always pays to know what you are and aren't covered for.

I was reading about that one as well. It's possible that he'll be compensated by the government.

Paulw

Nevore wrote: »

It's possible that he'll be compensated by the government.

Possible ... only possible.

Coriolanus

True, but considering there's K&R insurance for photographers and journalists working in dangerous areas of the world I'd imagine there's a similar product covering damage and theft of equipment. So he may have been able to get insurance for the situation he put himself in after all.

ED E

He briefly set down his..

Would that not negate any insurance, similar to leaving your front door unlocked?

Paulw

Nevore wrote: »

True, but considering there's K&R insurance for photographers and journalists working in dangerous areas of the world I'd imagine there's a similar product covering damage and theft of equipment. So he may have been able to get insurance for the situation he put himself in after all.

Yeah, but most people working in Europe don't get K&R insurance, and nor would they think they need it.

Balfey1972

In the UK as a result of the riots and any claims that have arisen due to this, the companies check what type of photography you advised them that you were involved in.

If you are a sports or wedding photographer and decided to head out into the streets and try and get a few images to sell you would have a hard time convincing the underwriters.

If you were on the way back from a day out and turned the corner into this mayhem and were mugged you would be covered. (If your insurers provided you with full theft cover)

You need to check your policy like the above incident in Cork to make sure you have full theft cover. Some of the insurers do not provide this.
Some will only provide theft cover to a premises if there is signs of forcible entry or exit.

You need to make sure you have full theft cover to make sure you are covered in the event that:
Like the above incident, your gear is at your feet and snatched.
Or if you leave your gear behind in a taxi for example
Get back to your hotel room and no signs of entry or exit and it's gone

As Paul says, read the policy and ask questions.

Funkyzeit

Paulw wrote: »

Sounds like he had no insurance. Only himself to blame.
.

...or the thieves?

Ger has been a massive contributor to the the success of the Tour De Munster and the chosen charities and I hope he gets sorted whether it be through insurance or ideally return of the equipment however unlikely that may be.

af_thefragile

My gear is starting to cross the 1000eur mark. I think it'ld be wise I'ld get it insured too as such incidents seem to be getting more common now days in this post recession world...

Any of ye know where you can get insurance for your gear here?

Balfey1972

af_thefragile wrote: »

My gear is starting to cross the 1000eur mark. I think it'ld be wise I'ld get it insured too as such incidents seem to be getting more common now days in this post recession world...

Any of ye know where you can get insurance for your gear here?

af_thefragile

Give me a call 01 8408060 or log on to our website
www.camerainsurance.ie

Derek.

Funkyzeit

Great news from twitterland.
He's got his gear back and thieves arrested.
RESULT.

Balfey1972

Funkyzeit wrote: »

Great news from twitterland.
He's got his gear back and thieves arrested.
RESULT.

One of the rare few. no doubt the thieves will be back out on the street in no time with a slap on the wrist. Delighted to hear he got sorted.

magicbastarder

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

Would that not negate any insurance, similar to leaving your front door unlocked?

a friend who works at an insurance company (non-specialist, one of the big standard house insurance outfits) has confirmed that with a standard policy with them, 'unless the theft involved violence or a forceful entry, tough ****e.'