File :-(, x, )
EBAY /P/HOTOGRAPHY WARNING Anonymous
I can imagine how this guy must have written his eBay auctions:

FOR SALE: TACK SHARP LENSES! LOW LOW PRICES! EVERYTHING MUST GO! BECAUSE I AM A THIEF!

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/107092/tsa-agent-steals-200k-worth-of-gear-resells-it-on-ebay/

TinyUrl'd:http://tinyurl.com/5rl2uw

eBay profile feedback:http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=alirla&ftab=AllFeedb
ack&myworld=true

TinyUrl'd: http://tinyurl.com/5v4hb9

LOL! The dangers of buying from eBay or second hand. Can't wait until the police go through that feedback list and ask for all that gear back. People will be shitting bricks when they read that news story and realise it is the guy they bought from.

Comment too long. Clickhereto view the full text.
>> Anonymous
the real question is if those stolen lenses are "minty" and "tack sharp" or whatever other nonsensical buzzwords have floated from the depths of dpreview?
>> Anonymous
I ship my gear via insured UPS to the hotel near the location of the shoot. The only thing I bring on the plane is back-up gear, and I expect that to be stolen if I don't bring it as carry-on.

Also, electrical tape over all the logos, and marks and stickers all of the gear makes it less likely to get stolen.
>> Anonymous
I have bought from eBay before and brix would be shat if that happened with someone I used. I bet some of them try to quickly resell or offload their stolen goods, rather than simply have them confiscated by the police.
>> Anonymous
>>279620electrical tape over all the logos

That is a good idea, as is one I saw where someone put a fake generic sounding name over an expensive branded camera, so pick pockets and thieves wouldn't spot the brand and go for it.

Do you think the stickers and marks make it less desirable in general though?

The UPS idea seems to be the safest and most sensible now. Especially with the cost of luggage nowadays!
>> Anonymous
>Another good reason to ship instead of check a bag? Given that airlines now charge up to a whopping $250 for a checked bag, it may now actually be cheaper to have FedEx pick up your stuff at your house and drop it at your destination. How's that for progress?

WTF? $250 to check a bag?!?!?
>> Anonymous
ITT: baby's first ebay experience.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
gotta love how the news story has the guy's feedback there so we can look through and see who has been dealing with thieves. ice burn.

100% or something positive feedback doesn't mean it is a safe buy at all.
>> Anonymous
>>279625

You would have used your magic powers to know that they were stolen, right? Go troll elsewhere, stupid.
>> Anonymous
This is why I never put anything expensive in the checked-in baggage. So far no one complained about me carrying a DSLR in addition to the standard 8kg bag on board. If a guy can steal $200k worth of shit in New Jersey before he gets caught, imagine what happens here in the third world.
>> Anonymous
>>279631

This. I always carry the camera or expensive items on board. I'm insured anyway but it is a pain in the ass to go through with that and a simple precaution can help prevent the paperwork. I've carried camera bags and gear that was heavier and slightly larger than they normally allow and usually they'll turn a blind eye to it.

If this guy hadn't stolen a news agency's $50,000 camera then he'd probably still be stealing and selling on eBay. He's completely fucked though as it will be so easy to trace and he's got all that stolen stuff in his house.
>> Anonymous
>>279628

protip: if it's too good to be true, it is.
>> Anonymous
>>279635
true dat. this guy was selling at the normal market prices though, i think.
>> Anonymous
>arrived safe and well

Best feedback ever.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>279623
I have to admit that my idea was not original.

When I was starting out, I would rent any equipment that I was short on from Samy's. All of their rental equipment has inventory numbers written in that bright metallic marker, and inventory labels on them.

I started doing the same with my equipment to keep it from walking off, and I think it has worked.

I use a p-touch labeler, and it has my studio logo along with an inventory number and is clearly marked on the label as well as in metallic marker. It is on the bottom of the barrel of all the lenses, the bottoms of the camera bodys, and the backs of all the strobes. If you have rented from Samy's, you know where all the labels are.

In addition, all the parts of the equipment that would face the client during the shoot has stickers that look like the attached image. The laptops have laser engraved graphics, with the studio name and inventory number on them as well as labels and various pokemon stickers.

Kills the resale value, so I imagine it discourages people from stealing it.

I don't care about resale value anyway because I break most of my equipment before I can sell it.
>> Anonymous
>>279643

I liked this one:

>Excellent and honest Ebayer!
>honest

Delicious!
>> Anonymous
>>279644

That's a pretty wacky and eccentric idea (smiley faces and pokemon all over the place), but it sounds good and logical the way you explain it. It would seem a worthwhile precaution for many people in the right situation.
>> Anonymous
Looking through the feedback there and some of his customer's feedback and buying history I notice a couple of them have more than one "no longer a member" listed and have been doing business with this person for quite a while. Fencing the stolen goods or simply taking part in looting booty?
>> Anonymous
>>279651
They probably got rid of their account when they found out. They'd probably get lots of messages of angry folks, and eventually the original owner wanting it back, and perhaps even making a case out of it if they say no. They want to keep the item instead of losing his money.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Wow, TSA can't even stop explosives at security lines during exercises and now they steal our shit?
>> Project !dashI8UpO.
Reminds of something that happened at customs in my airport. It was the Christmas season and the passengers on flights coming home from places like Australia where you can buy epic beef where being harassed by customs officials saying something about mad cow disease and quarantine while confiscating their beef then keeping it for themselves. One traveler caught on and got pissed at the official, took the meat out of its packaging, all bloody and drippy, and just tossed it on the table all messy.

>>279644
Heh, I also do the electrical tape over logos thing but I also write my name in permanent marker on the easily accessible insides like behind the battery compartment door but I guess I'll have to think of a way of labeling them more profoundly.
>> Anonymous
great to think we're trusting the security of america to these petty thieves
>> Anonymous
Why aren't their security cameras in the baggage screening areas? I mean, seriously, you're going to have people watching the whole rest of the airport on CCTV but nothing covering the where bags are as they're going through security and afterwards?
>> Anonymous
the fact that these thieves are doing this only proves that the only reason we haven't seen more terrorist acts is because they aren't trying or are unbelievably incompetant
>> Anonymous
>>279692

this doesn't surprise you? It's part of the job description; to lack integrity
>> Anonymous
>>279686

they were planning on doing this but the union opposed it. the whole thing is nothing more than security theater and a huge waste of taxpayer money.
>> Anonymous
>>279722

Sounds like the union is supporting the thieves rather than our safety. :(