Updated Information on Camera Thefts

Since our gear was stolen on February 12 we've been trying to come to terms with the theft. It's not easy. Anger, frustration, self-pity, fear, all these things run through your mind. So we decided to channel some of that (mainly the anger part) into doing what we could to get the word out about what happened and see what we could do about catching the thieves.

If any of this is familiar to you, if you've been a victim of a theft under similar circumstances, PLEASE CONTACT US at info@visualedge.tv or contact your local police.

What we've been able to uncover is staggering.

• The thieves were co-opting the name of a REAL person and a REAL company in the UK. Kevin Lear of The Filming Co Ltd is real and appears to have nothing to do with the theft. He is as shocked by all this as we are and has reported the identity theft to his local police in the UK.
• On February 10 one of the same thieves who stole our equipment stole a very similar equipment package in Israel: http://www.broadcastvideo.com/netpolice/ I've spoken to this company and confirmed the description of the man, that he used the name "William Stickland" and I am awaiting a copy of the passport that Broadcast Israel took when the thief arrived. Broadcast Israel has been able to confirm "William Stickland" flew out of Israel the next day.
• On February 19 the same thieves that stole our gear stole an almost identical camera package from a large rental house in Chicago. I've spoken with that rental house and confirmed that the description of the thieves and the M.O. is exactly the same.
• I've been told by law enforcement that this is all being linked to other thefts in New York, California, Texas and Florida -- there are common threads although the two thieves that took our gear are not present every time. This is a large ring or professional criminals.
• I've also been told that there are links to thefts throughout Europe and even possibly China. One location confirmed as linked is a theft in Croatia which would appear to be the theft mentioned in the second article on this page: http://www.broadcastvideo.com/netpolice/ I also received a forwarded email from the company in Croatia that includes a passport photo. The email is copied in it's entirety below:

Please read and send to all your colleagues!!!!!!!!

STOLEN FILM EQUIPEMENT

2x RED ONE CAMERA SET & ULTRA PRIMES LENSES SET

RED CAMERA CASE 1

- RED ONE sn.1958

- Top mount x2, universal mount, top handle 19mm rods 30cm x2, 19mm rods 45cm, ET ARRI 19mm base plate, RED arm for 5,6’ RED LCD, ET SDI break out box.

- RED cradle with Bebob ML 120 hot swap adapter

- RED EVF

- RED 5,6’ LCD

- ET EVF holder

- Mini xlr to XLR audio cable

- EVF cable

- LCD cable

- HDD cable x2

- Side handle x2

- Bondhus 3/16 and 7/32 tool

- RED raid 320 GB x2 with power supply

- RED battery x5

- RED charger

- Elpac power supply for RED

RED CAMERA CASE 2

- RED ONE sn.4990

- Top mount x2, universal mount, top handle 19mm rods 30cm x2, 19mm rods 45cm, ET ARRI 19mm base plate, RED arm for 5,6’ RED LCD, ET SDI break out box.

- RED cradle with Bebob ML 120 hot swap adapter

- RED EVF

- RED 5,6’ LCD

- ET EVF holder

- Mini xlr to XLR audio cable

- EVF cable

- LCD cable

- HDD cable x2

- Side handle x2

- Bondhus 3/16 and 7/32 tool

- Time Code cable

- RED raid 320 GB x2 with power supply

- Mac Book Pro, power supply

- RED battery x5

- Bebob charger

ULTRA PRIMES Case 1

-16mm No:8871219

-20mm No:8888993

-24mm No:8889092

-32mm No:8889085

ULTRA PRIMES Case 2

-40mm No:8878315

-50mm No:8889480

-65mm No:8878175

-85mm No:8878263

-100mm No:8877972

-135mm No:8870884

- adepter rings for MB-16, MB- 14

Equipment was stolen 26.01.2011. form Croatian production company. The fraudsters use the name of company All Together Films or Alltogether Limited from London.

The name of fraudsters is: MICHEAL NITSCHKE, GEOFFREY MICHAEL ARTHUR NORRIS and DARREN OLIVER RAYMOND CHARLES DAFOE.

Attached please find the passport photo of one of the fraudsters.

If you have any information about this equipment please contact us:

Davor Tunukovic

General Manager

Tel: +385 1 6184 731

GSM: +385 98 228 591

E: davor@tuna-film.hr / info@tuna-film.hr /

W: www.tuna-film.hr

TUNA FILM – E d.o.o.

Ulica grada Vukovara 269

10 000 ZAGREB

CROATIA / EUROPE

THANK YOU!!!

This is organized crime. It's not some schmucks stealing whatever they can get their hands on, it isn't crime of opportunity. This is a group of individuals looking for specific high end cameras. Here is their confirmed M.O.:

• The thieves set up a fake company or steal an identity -- the common thread appears to be that it is based in the United Kingdom.
• The thieves contact the rental company and proceed to order a rental -- they're specific and know what they want.
• The thieves offer insurance and will provide it -- that insurance policy has been procured locally, usually from a source recommended by the rental house.
• The thieves offer to pay by wire transfer. A wire transfer document will be emailed that appears to show confirmation of a transfer being initiated by a bank out of the UK.
• The thieves arrive to pick up the gear. They're British, present well and have knowledge of what they're there to pick up. Twice they have arrived by taxi.
• They're willing to present a credit card or passport.
• THEY'RE NOT COMING BACK WITH THE GEAR.

The best deterrent is knowledge. Get this information to your rental houses. Pass it around your friends and colleagues. This isn't a localized problem, this is an international problem and these criminals are prepared and bold. The guys that hit us flew in and out of Israel and the US with the specific intention of stealing high end production equipment and then somehow got that gear out of the countries.

Many facets of law enforcement are working on this case and the possibility that these guys are moving around the world with fake passports is garnering some real attention. But this industry needs to protect itself. We need to make sure that this can't happen. Because, as we're learning, the insurance you have may not be worth very much -- that's going to be a separate post some time next week. If you are a rental house or if you do rent your gear out, though, make sure you're covered for this type of situation.

We're sick about this. We were even more sick when we heard the thieves who did us did someone else a week later. We don't want this to happen again. Let's make sure it doesn't.