Stolen Camera Equipment
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Overwhelmed thanks and an important note
Friday, February 25, 2011
Updated Information on Camera Thefts
- 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 EQUIPEMENT2x 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
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.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Stolen Camera Equipment
- "William Stickland" was roughly 5'8" tall with messy gray hair, roughly 150-160lbs, spoke with a mumbling possibly Irish accent and wore glasses, a dark suit and dark shoes.
- The other man, whose name I didn't catch, was black, roughly 6'1" tall, about 240lbs, with short dark hair and had a mustache and small beard. He wore blue jeans, a dark T-shirt, sneakers and a light jacket.
(1) Sony HDW-F900 version 3 (#10225) with black and white HD viewfinder (#10580) and Miranda DVC-800 (#061999-13424008) in a Portabrace camera bag
(1) Fujinon 22x7.8 HD lens (#381020)
(1) Fujinon 17x7.6 HD lens
(1) Fujinon 13x4.5 HD lens (#440212)
(2) Panasonic BT-LH900 8.4” HD monitors (#J5TWA1053) with (2) short BNC cables, (2) long BNC cables, (2) P-Tap cables in Pelican 1450 cases
(2) Sachtler carbon fiber tripods with off-ground spreaders and Sachtler 20 fluid heads
(2) Sony camera plates with Sachtler wedges
(4) Anton Bauer Dionic 160 batteries (#28841, 30385, 28840, 30386)
(2) Anton Bauer Dionic 90 batteries
(2) Anton Bauer 2722 dual position chargers (#5386 & 4880) with AC cables and 4-pin XLR power cables
(2) Anton Bauer Titan AC power supplies/chargers with AC cables
(1) Pelican 1550 case (had all the batteries and chargers in it)