Looking for stolen camera- places?

[Dan Daniel]

A customer's camera was stolen in shipping. We're watching various places like Ebay and some camera specific forums. I wonder if people have suggestions on other places to monitor to see if the camera pops up for sale.

It's a Kodak Medalist II, converted to 120, so the market is going to be a bit specialized. That's why I am asking in a place like this. I assume the camera will be dumped for fifteen dollars somewhere, but if they want full value I think they will need to hit the more esoteric sales sites.

(Kodak Medalist II, ser.# 44597, Ektar # ES1044 (L)

(if wrong place or inappropriate, my apologies)

 

[mgb74]

I suspect that the thief won't know the value and it will be dumped as you suggested. But I'd also check Etsy and Craigslist. Their are apps that will check all CL sites. For example: https://www.searchcraigslist.net/results?q=kodak medalist -slide

 

[MattKing]

It is my understanding that Facebook marketplace is very active, so if you have access...

 

[c t b]

Is going to be difficult to find, I imagine it might go to street 'antique' markets (with or without simultanious online presence) and country specific 'craiglist variants'.

 

[nickandre]

Tragically I assume most niche camera equipment will be junked, especially if there’s a risk of the serial number showing up online in a stolen database. Happened to me with a very nice 4x5 kit when my car remote malfunctioned a decade ago. Never made that mistake again

You should make sure it’s reported to police and posted online. It’s possible it will be recognized at a pawn shop or something.

 

[Nodda Duma]

Check Depop, too. Though their search engine isn’t as efficient.

 

[BobD]

How do you know it was stolen rather than lost in shipping?

 

[Jeremy Mudd]

This may not help in this instance since the crime has already been committed, but for future reference -

I use the Lenstag Pro App to log all of my camera gear, both film and digital, with descriptions and serial #'s. If something gets stolen you notify them and its registered as being stolen there, and the app scours the WWW looking for that serial#. In the case of digital images it also looks at metadata for lens/body serial#'s if taken with the stolen item.

I've never had to use it for my own equipment being stolen, thankfully, but I did look at purchasing a lens from a local retailer one time that showed up as stolen on the app.

Jeremy

(not affiliated with them at all)

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Craigslist. Pawnshops.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Tragically I assume most niche camera equipment will be junked, especially if there’s a risk of the serial number showing up online in a stolen database. Happened to me with a very nice 4x5 kit when my car remote malfunctioned a decade ago. Never made that mistake again

You should make sure it’s reported to police and posted online. It’s possible it will be recognized at a pawn shop or something.

The police do not do anything. I had reported a stolen bicycle and they checked for finger prints. The finger print person said that the prints would be filed but nothing would happen because the police were too busy with real problems. Do your own searching.

 

[abruzzi]

The police do not do anything. I had reported a stolen bicycle and they checked for finger prints. The finger print person said that the prints would be filed but nothing would happen because the police were too busy with real problems. Do your own searching.

yes, but filing a police report is a necessary first step to many other actions you may want to take.

 

[Sirius Glass]

yes, but filing a police report is a necessary first step to many other actions you may want to take.

Yes for the insurance company, but do not look to the police to track down the perp or recoup your items.

 

[MattKing]

The police do not do anything. I had reported a stolen bicycle and they checked for finger prints. The finger print person said that the prints would be filed but nothing would happen because the police were too busy with real problems. Do your own searching.

Depends on where you live, and what the policies are of your police department:
https://vancouversun.com/news/local...nts-to-reunite-collection-with-rightful-owner
and
https://vancouversun.com/news/local...n-amazon-package-found-listed-for-sale-online
and
https://vancouversun.com/news/do-you-own-these-collectors-sports-cards
and my favorite
https://vancouversun.com/news/vancouver-police-on-the-hunt-for-owner-of-stolen-dental-gold
Our city's police department has a "no call too small" policy. And there are a couple of columns that run regularly in the local paper that are often the best read:
https://www.delta-optimist.com/loca...stomer-locked-out-of-tsawwassen-store-4768711

 

[Rrrgcy]

Go to your local police. Ask to file an incident report. Demand they place the model and s/n in NCIC as stolen. This will permit cross referencing should it land w any pawn (store or otherwise), their 30-day hold reports would allow its redflagging for the police, and the police would inform you about the locating for next steps. That should cover one venue.