Unfortunately, quality camera equipment is one of the high theft items in many cities and when traveling. There are some basic things you can to do help prevent your equipment from ending up as stolen camera equipment. You should also know how to research stolen camera equipment, and what to do if your camera equipment gets stolen.

Protect Your Camera Equipment

Protecting your camera equipment when you are out and about in most ways comes down to some common sense items.

  • Make sure your camera is attached to you. If you have it on a strap, make sure the strap is around your neck or across your body versus just hanging on your shoulder. Wrist straps can be good, just be sure they won’t come off your wrist easily. There are also clips that will keep your camera attached to a belt or backpack strap. Peak Design makes some nice items like these.
  • Be aware of your surroundings. It seems simple, but pay attention to what and who is around you. If something or someone doesn’t seem right, it is time to find somewhere else to take photos.
  • Travel with other people. Being in a group makes it easier to keep an eye out and to be aware of surroundings. Even just you and a friend is a good start.
  • Don’t get too comfortable and leave camera equipment laying around. Many camera bags get grabbed when nobody is looking.

If camera equipment gets stolen, sometimes it can be a quick grab and go… other times, it can be violent. San Francisco has endured a few years of growing problems with camera theft. In some cases, the victims were sprayed with pepper spray. Whatever you do, don’t chase after someone if they grab your gear. People have been shot in some big cities this way.

Register Your Camera Equipment

If your camera equipment is stolen, immediately report it to the police. The trick is, you’ll want a good list of what was stolen, including models and serial numbers. This may sound challenging, but thanks to a great company called Lens Tag, this is a snap. They provide an easy web interface to itemize your gear, and verify serial numbers. Once your gear is in the system, you can access the information easily via the web or their phone app. This is a great way to go for cameras, lenses, and a few other high value items. You should also be sure to register your equipment with the manufacturer when you purchase it.

The other area where Lens Tag helps, is if you are looking at purchasing used camera equipment . How would you know if you might be looking at stolen camera equipment ? Simply get the serial number, and look it up with the Lens Tag search tool. If the camera equipment was stolen, and reported via Lens Tag, it will be identified. This is a fantastic service available to anyone, so be sure to use it and tell your friends to use it!