@@benjhaisch I was in Spain last week, I put down my Sony a7III with 35 1.8 and sony mic on top (b10). It was stolen is seconds.... now I'm ordering airtags. :/
I got my phone stolen once while entering the train from that day. I have a fear of losing thing so every important stuffs Airtags on it for safety and I always try to not leave anything behind.
@@whoismatt Be Sure to get the Smallrig AirTag Cage mount, that way it’s not easily removable. You need a security bit to remove it. It’s a nice way to hide your AirTag too
I had a similar experience in 1982. I was traveling in my Army uniform by bus from New York to Alabama. I got off the bus with all my stuff - a duffel bag and a boom box - and asked a lady to watch them while I went into the bathroom. I came out and the boom box was gone. The lady pointed at the terminal's exit door, and I saw a young man, about 20, carrying the boom box across the street. I started following him but quietly, trying to figure out how to retrieve my cassette player. I didn't want to follow him into a building where he might have lots of friends. After about three blocks, he stopped and started talking with a woman driving an older station wagon. As I quietly walked up behind him, I could hear him explaining to the woman who was clearly his mother that he'd bought it in a pawn shop, and not stolen it. I got right behind him, smiled at the woman, and put my hand on the boom box's handle. I said, this was just taken from me at the bus station. I then said to the thief, I know what cassette is in here. I know the song it's on. I know what songs are on the other side of the tape. If you can tell me the same information, I'll let you keep it. He look at his mother but couldn't think of anything to say. The woman said, give it to him and get in the d*mn car. I walked back, glad I'd retrieved it without getting into a fight.
The Meta Raybans and GoPros are surprisingly useful for these scenarios. Recently in Bristol a guy had brought corpses inside suitcases to the famous suspension bridge and dropped them there hoping to not get caught, but a cyclist who was passing by and recording his bike route stopped him and jokingly asked “are you carrying dead people in there or what?”. They caught him thanks to that recording. Incredible how these technologies can be helpful in these fringe scenarios. I’m glad Benj found his gear!
Crazy story. That feeling of realizing it’s stolen is such a crushing feeling. Then being in that situation and getting everything back for $28. What a range of adrenaline.
@@Raphael_Meade yeah I'm a pretty successful photographer now and also have a great life now. Good job good Family but I was homeless at 21 and you never forget it. I did a couple things like stole some food once I never stole anyone's camera but it is really horrible and I'm not defending what they did, but at least he handled it really well.
Thank goodness you caught people who had very little will to fight you on this. Handled it brilliantly. I kinda doubt it would be this smooth of an interaction in NYC, but well done.
@@RayValdezPhotography Surrounded by criminals? what on earth are you talking about, Copenhagen is one of the safest places you can go, also did we forget that he did leave a valuable bag outside in the middle of the city center in a bicycle
What everyone seems to be missing is you're speaking English in Denmark. The thieves are forced to use their second language, while drunk, and you have the advantage directly. Your commanding tone also thows them on the back the foot.
This is a perfect example of technology at play, compassion, and being calm headed. Couldve gone either way. You got your gear back, the dude got a free meal, we got entertained. This is going to blow up
Compassion is used far too often. They will be doing this again. Any sob story is just that. They were not desperate or hungry. Seemed well fed and in clean clothes.
@@QuicknStraight I hate to break it to you, but even thieves have back stories. This man showed incredible humanity and personal inner strength and discipline. He was not only able to retrieve his gear, but he did so in a way that is very introspective and big picture and led to a reasonable outcome. Compassion is not selective. You either embody it or you don't. This doesn't mean you can't ever be a victim caused by other's actions, and feel hurt, angry, cheated, etc. It just means you're strong and courageous enough to make the mindful choice to rise above victimhood and childlike Rambo retribution to solve challenges. It's theft. It sucks and no one wants to experience it. The act itself is morally wrong and a crime. Understood. No argument. However, calmness is always going to produce a better outcome than choas, rage and retribution. The world needs more of it, not less. What video did you just watch?
@@POVwithRCVery true. I would have given them a reminder not to mess with Americans. A good scare, no need to commit any crimes. Euros are very submissive
DUDE, I got SO nervous watching this video! You acted just peeeerfectly in this situation, keeping it all calm is the best thing you could've done. Ordering even more AirTags as I'm writing this. What a legend you are.
Dude, I had to track down a porch pirate who stole an rf28-70 last year. At $3000 I was devastated and because it was a confirmed delivery I wasnt getting much help from the retailer. Luckily I have a camera on my porch and to spare you the details I got my lens back. My confrontation involved a little more violence😂 My daily job is of the official capacity with a badge so I dont eff round with thieves. Props for keeping your cool, even a Hassy isnt worth a stabbing.
At that point I’m just going to ship it to the store and pick it up from there. Even if I forgot to pick it up and realize it on the last day of the store holding it for me. It will get sent back and I get refunded. I NEVER have my expensive stuff delivered to my house. Thankfully I live in a safe neighborhood and we never deal with porch pirates. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
Yaaa I put cameras in my trees in the yard. I have one pointed right at the mailbox. Crack heads have taken too many packages from my house. It was awkward when I had to confront my neighbor for walking around my house at 3am. My yard is huge. He was smoking that shit I'm sure.
Considering that my camera bag with $3000 worth of equipment was stolen while I was attending mass in the main Catholic Cathedral, in San Jose, Costa Rica 1.5 years ago (never recovered-the thief snuck up behind me and grabbed the bag from the pew I was sitting in), this story has a much happier ending than mine---I never recovered the equipment. Congrats to the photographer. My camera is much smaller so I'm not sure about putting a tracker inside a bottom plate. Thanks again !!!
wild story. I think every camera should have implemented a "find my" functionality and some security features. A $50 phone has more security features than a multi-thousand dollar camera body. That's ridiculous.
@@sandb1867 Yeah, right, I didn't think about that. That's why it never caught on with smartphones either. ... But seriously, just put a fingerprint sensor where you naturally have your finger when you pick up the camera, and also, like with smartwatches, the camera could lock itself when you put it down. There are plenty of other ways it could work. Even a simple code you could enter would be enough for situations where you're not shooting continuously, like when traveling.
This was a wild story. So happy it worked out positive for you - and honestly, I think it's great that you acted in charity rather than justice. That says a ton about your character!
My kid left his bike at school over a vacation. Of course he didn't lock it up. a week later, I tracked it down to a homeless housing place. We got it back. a few months later, we realize the bike was gone again from our backyard. I tracked it down to a town over. I walked around the building and it shows that its in this building. The cops come. We couldn't find it. Turns out, if I had turned around, it was in a car 20' behind me across a street. I tell everyone in neighborhood about the bike. The bike disappears and pops up in the middle of the woods a few towns over. We got there and I walk up and down the street. A guy at the house comes out and helps me look for a minute. Then he goes in and puts on a shirt, comes out and tell me that he bought the bike for $18 from a homeless guy. Got the bike back for the second time. $25 airtag saved a $500 bike twice for my kiddo being dumb.
One other dynamic that kept you safe is…you’re not small Ben, I would not brawl with you if I was a thief 😂💯 My 5 foot 6, 150lbs self is not intimidating anyone. Them AirTags came in clutch tho.
You are a good man Benj, a lot more patience and controlled then I could ever be in that situation. So happy you got your gear back and I have just ordered some AirTags! Thanks for sharing this story 🙏
How this entire thing played out is a testimony to two things: 1) Technology is on our side today, and 2) your character even in a situation like this is a goal all creatives (and people in general) should strive for. Well done my friend.
Technology is most certainly working against us more than working for us. 99.99999% of technology is there with the explicit purpose to extract money from you in some form. The best of this type of technology is really good at presenting you with convenience, which can feel like a friend, while it's filling the coffers of banks on the back end, none which belong to you. Should you benefit from that exchange, that's fine, but it isn't compulsory by any means. This is not me being an alarmist, rather being a realist. Technology can be amazing up until the point a white collar crook at the top sees dollar signs. That phenomenon is nearly preconceived so there isn't a large window of technology remaining innocuous. Sometimes I wonder if the world is really prepared and ready for the world.
I'm glad your situation worked out safely. As someone who recently had $20k USD equipment stolen, I appreciate this video. My situation was a bit different, but after I immediately looked into way to attach AirTags to my cameras and how to hide an additional in the case. I ended up with two SmallRig solutions. One was the R3 Cage with AirTag holder, and the other was the AirTag baseplate.
When you have kids, especially, it’s always in the back of your mind of how you can safely get through a situation. Even subconsciously it’s there. You handled it really well, but so many that may argue that you should have escalated clearly aren’t in that mindset. I use to confront others too often or react poorly on the road with inept drivers until I had a family to look out for.
Excellent story on how AirTags can make a difference. I congratulate you on your style with these crooks. You found the perfect balance between being adamant and confident without being aggressive. So happy you got your gear back!
As a Danish citizen, I would like to apologize for this experience. It is atypical that something like this would happen, as Denmark is known for being one of the least criminal countries in the world. Glad you managed to get the equipment back.
@@patmog and that is why crime rates in Denmark Are low. Cause it is almost impossible to have any crime registered. Now that is a smart Way to keep “crime low” make it impossible to’report. Denmark is a shit hole, only fun for the criminals
Ben : I never leave a bag alone , and if I can , carry my cameras in a bag that does not scream " camera " , I used a satchel , like for Legal Documents , that was TSA approved in first trip to SE Asia , second trip i used DIMKE F-1 and it stored beneath the HONDA AIR BLADE seat locked and out of the weather. I did have an item fall out of the dome , or I took it out by mistake... left it at the Viet language Cafe where I had a cool beer , after photographing the Fishing Fleet ... Came back after realizing that was where the SUN extension lens set for my MX-EVS ROLLEI 75mm 3.5 was last out. I asked very old man about it he opened the cage screen at cafe , he was complaining but lo and behold the case was in his hands ....a customer noticed I had left it , and given it to him ... he had no idea how to reach me ... I paid in US Dollar to him $ 60 , his eyes popped out and his Wife even came out and sweetly thanked me , and she was so nice ... so , in Vietnam villages people are very honest. I did not have those glasses you have or Air Tags. I carry only a small bit of equipment and leave the rest in Locked Cases , in my HOTEL. I use PENGUIN cases for travel. This was 2017 , near NA TRANG , VIETNAM.
"Cheaper than a finders fee" - Okay, I "defuse" by handing him the money, he then hands over the cameras, I then ROB HIM of the money I just gave him !
Great story. Several years ago I had just cleared the security screening in the Ho Chi Minh City airport. It was busy and crowded, and I got distracted by it all. I accidentally left my camera bag with my camera and some really expensive lenses behind and went to the boarding gate with my wife. About 20 minutes later I realized my mistake. You will remember that feeling in your stomach when you realize your mistake ... and your equipment was more expensive than mine. To my shock, the bag and all its contents were still there! I was very thankful and my great wife didn't even give me a speech. Your story reminds me that I need to get air tags for my equipment.
Being homeless is no excuse for being a thief, and I don't have any empathy for a thief. I've traveled quite a bit out of the country, and usually, you can't turn a corner without seeing a policeman. As a retired police officer, I understand that the police are spread thin, but I thought police presence in Copenhagen was quite visible. However, understanding that you were in a precarious position, paying him was the lesser of the evils. I am surprised that you haven't received more comments like, "If that was me, I would have ... (fill in the level of violence)." I will not recommend it, but my type-A personality has gotten me into trouble before. It is the reason why when I'm out of the country, I always carry a rather substantial Bogen Monopod when I'm carrying expensive camera gear. Larry from Texas
Benj, thank you so much for sharing this! I was head of international sales and traveled constantly - I see that everywhere now, there are hurting people that do opportunity stealing. It only takes 2 seconds to grab and run. I had a 60 yr old sales guy get his bag stolen in Frankfort Airport while it was on the ground touching his leg! He ran after the guy through much of the airport and actually tackled the guy to the ground in front of the exit. The police held him and the thief until they figured it out. We need to be safety alert all the time. Congrats for your success!
Dude....awesome video start to finish! And what an advert for Airtags. Already wanted to get some, this is just even more of a reason to do it pronto 🤣
The algorithm is crazy. I literally just got my entire camera roller bag stolen and recovered after moving into a new home and realizing it was broken into the same day. Will have to make a video about my experience as well. It’s even juicier than your story.
What a story! And I think you handled it all well. I am the same way. I would have approached being 6’1 and for the most part those guys just need something to eat or get by and realistically for them to not have all the hassle they usually just want the money. Glad this worked out so well in your favor
In only extreme cases where someone has done something heinous should they be revealed. These blokes could just be down on their luck because of the bad system we live in.
Foreign countries are not the USA. You could spend days in jail for assault until they sorted it out. Best idea: take you bag inside with you and keep it locked up or on you at all times.
By the way, in a situation like this i know you are panicking at that moment, turn off your phone from battery saver mode this allows you to have maximum range from outputting and range at that moment. The background refresh happens much faster. But so glad you found your bag.
Legendary move there! I wish I had my AirTags on when I got my camera bag with all my gear + money & documents stolen in Paris last year. TH-cam recommended this video today and the most insane thing seeing this is that I saw your viral video on Insta and I was in Copenhagen few days ago thinking how safe the place is. We can't take a break no matter how uncomfortable. Learned it the hard way. Now, I have an AirTags army everywhere. 🤗
My camera bag and contents are worth about $4000 when travelling, its one camera, two lenses, three batteries, and some filters. , but no way would I ever put it down, but after watching this I will be hiding an AirTag in my bag. Great video and you dealt with it in a very calm way, way more calm than I would have done.👍👍
This is a great story Ben, you had some balls to do this. You can tell they were shocked, I am getting some air tags. You kept your cool too, better than i would. lol Your empathy and compassion shows. Awesome.
Btw, this is also why as a professional, you should have gear insurance, specifically for situations like this. Bringing $30k worth of gear on a family vacation is also kind of silly, unless you are on a job that generates you income, you keep the nice stuff unadvertised, or at home. OR you have someone there whose job it is to watch your gear. It’s as silly as bringing a kitting out ARI or FX9 on vacation. lol. If it is work, bring the nice stuff, and most of all, make sure it is insured through your insurance. If it is for family stuff, bring a cheap camera that can be broken/stolen/destroyed, etc.
A few thoughts come to mind. 1) did you ever consider, maybe while on your way to the place where your gear was, to call / involve law enforcement ? I can't imagine that would have hurt your chances of getting the gear back, and had it been a younger, faster, more violent purpetrator, it might have helped... A lot ! 2) being a professional photographer, surely you have your gear insured ? I mean, I get that you were on a trip where you might need the gear. But on the other hand, at least with my photography gear insurance, I would get all brand new stuff with zero deductible and no depreciation. Brand new is "usually better". Of course their is the principal of the matter > not wanting the scumbag thieves to get away with the crime. Anyway, glad you got your stuff back 🙂👍
This was so so satisfying, just like those "hackers get hacked back" videos. Super happy to see you got your gear back! Also brb ordering some AirTags ASAP!
Not worth the possibility of losing your life for camera gear. The chance of getting stabbed in the back or beaten by a larger group...this is why gear insurance exist so your wife doesn't end up into a widow.
"Not worth the possibility" - Whatever pacifist wussy Right is Right & these thieves shouldn't get away with their crimes. Look at what's happening to the State of California. Wussy ideology like yours made things escalate, get out of control & become lawless. AT THE LEAST scream out for a Cop !
@@cliveramsbotty6077 I made it sound very dramatic so that someone would reply and boost my comment up higher thus making more people see it. The point is the same at the end of the day. Thanks for replying 😂
Oh love the base plate, I have one hidden in my camera bag and lens cap, but oh love the ability for place one on the camera in a way that not easily removed. Thanks for the link!
Man. I'm so glad you got yours back. I got my stuff stolen in a boat from Barcelona to Ibiza. They dug into my bag while I was sleeping. I couldn't believe it. Never got em back, even the police at the station told me that I'll never get it back. It was worth about 15k. 2 Cameras 4 lenses, go pros and other things...it was a sad vacation for sure.
Definitely behind you on what you did. We work too hard for someone to just take our stuff. Former front line worker... FULL RESPECT on how you handled it!
I love how you positioned yourself inbetween them and the bag quickly. ASSERT YOUR SIGMA DOMINANCE 😂 I think it’s great to approach this calmly like you did. I say suck it up and give thieves mercy. You just want your stuff back in one piece. Let them lie. Let them “pretend” they just “found it”. I think having two kids contributed to how well you handled this lol. Nice work.
Glad you got your stuff back - this is my perpetual nightmare scenario! You were lucky with this city and these particular guys. If this had been London or Paris you’d have some extra holes in your body! You made a judgement based on your circumstances and it was the right one. I have air tags in my gear mainly in case I leave something in a cafe by mistake etc. and it does give and extra peace of mind. Those plates are neat though so I’m going to get some! Thanks for sharing!
Very interesting video for all photo and videographers out there. This a difficult topic we often come across with no clear ideas and / or solutions. Thanks for sharing this interesting video. To me the most interesting part is not just the fact of having airtags or any other device but the way you handled this particular situation. The complete process and steps! 👏👏
You handled this so well. I don’t believe I would have handled it as calmly you did. Smart to give them the money they asked for. That was a no brainer.
Great to see you getting the Stuff back! I also have a AirTag in each of my Camera Bags since some years but I maybe should add one to my Camera as well.
That's so wild! Tracking everything down after it's been gone for 20 min is a hell of a feat. Glad it worked out for you! I have several air tags for my bags, some of them double tagged, but definitely picking up something to put on the camera too.
Some links:
AirTags: geni.us/Py3iqhI
Baseplate (smallrig): geni.us/csEe
Baseplate (JJC): geni.us/1ktkbwS
Camera Strap Mount: geni.us/MejeqL
RayBan Meta: geni.us/zBYH
if the thieves are not jailed put up a contract so they don`t do it to anyone else...
@@AgainstThisWorld I sent the videos to the police
@@benjhaischany way you could share a proof of that with us?
Wish there was an L bracket with the airtag compartment. I didn’t know it was a thing. Good info, Very lucky out come.
@@benjhaischi looked at the first scene of the video and thought, “oh shit is that nørreport?”
Should have used the title "How I got a Hasselblad and Sony for just $28!"
@@Scoober222 awesome title !!!
@@Scoober222 "Girl math"
LOL
We don’t need another click bait TH-camr. He’s good
@@1thess523actually tho
moral of the story, don’t put 25K of gear down, no matter how uncomfortable to carry :P
Agreed
@@benjhaisch I was in Spain last week, I put down my Sony a7III with 35 1.8 and sony mic on top (b10). It was stolen is seconds.... now I'm ordering airtags. :/
I got my phone stolen once while entering the train from that day. I have a fear of losing thing so every important stuffs Airtags on it for safety and I always try to not leave anything behind.
@@bimmerfan2126 more like don't leave your 25k of camera gear outside in an unsecured bike
@@mwkoala barcelona?
Not me ordering a 4 pack of Airtags halfway through watching this video 😂
@@whoismatt Be Sure to get the Smallrig AirTag Cage mount, that way it’s not easily removable. You need a security bit to remove it. It’s a nice way to hide your AirTag too
exactly!
Welp @@whoismatt sent me a video message proving that he ordered and already received them 😂
Hahahaha I literally just read this after putting my order
@@whoismatt literally
I had a similar experience in 1982. I was traveling in my Army uniform by bus from New York to Alabama. I got off the bus with all my stuff - a duffel bag and a boom box - and asked a lady to watch them while I went into the bathroom. I came out and the boom box was gone. The lady pointed at the terminal's exit door, and I saw a young man, about 20, carrying the boom box across the street. I started following him but quietly, trying to figure out how to retrieve my cassette player. I didn't want to follow him into a building where he might have lots of friends. After about three blocks, he stopped and started talking with a woman driving an older station wagon. As I quietly walked up behind him, I could hear him explaining to the woman who was clearly his mother that he'd bought it in a pawn shop, and not stolen it.
I got right behind him, smiled at the woman, and put my hand on the boom box's handle. I said, this was just taken from me at the bus station. I then said to the thief, I know what cassette is in here. I know the song it's on. I know what songs are on the other side of the tape. If you can tell me the same information, I'll let you keep it.
He look at his mother but couldn't think of anything to say. The woman said, give it to him and get in the d*mn car. I walked back, glad I'd retrieved it without getting into a fight.
I think that kid learnt an important lesson, and that was a wery mature method yer were using, huge thumps up for that.
kid got his ass tanned for that, rest assured.
What song was it on dude?
The Meta Raybans and GoPros are surprisingly useful for these scenarios. Recently in Bristol a guy had brought corpses inside suitcases to the famous suspension bridge and dropped them there hoping to not get caught, but a cyclist who was passing by and recording his bike route stopped him and jokingly asked “are you carrying dead people in there or what?”. They caught him thanks to that recording. Incredible how these technologies can be helpful in these fringe scenarios. I’m glad Benj found his gear!
Visible cameras escalate...everything.
@@loslosbaby good point.. i wonder if these people knew what the raybans were and knew they were being recorded
Well, there goes my dinner.
Crazy story. That feeling of realizing it’s stolen is such a crushing feeling. Then being in that situation and getting everything back for $28. What a range of adrenaline.
He's not sharing the rest of the story.
Inquiring minds want to know if you were dealt with by the wife?
Best $28 spent. Nowadays, you never know what criminals are up to, so for $28 to walk away unharmed and with your gear is priceless.
That was worth $28...
They were homeless ...😮what would you do if you were homeless
@@nevvanclarke9225 I’m not sure. I never hope to be homeless, but I hope they can get the help they need.
@@nevvanclarke9225 They are people that chose to commit grand theft. Them being homeless is irrelevant. Stealing is always wrong.
@@Raphael_Meade yeah I'm a pretty successful photographer now and also have a great life now. Good job good Family but I was homeless at 21 and you never forget it. I did a couple things like stole some food once I never stole anyone's camera but it is really horrible and I'm not defending what they did, but at least he handled it really well.
Thank goodness you caught people who had very little will to fight you on this. Handled it brilliantly. I kinda doubt it would be this smooth of an interaction in NYC, but well done.
Thank goodness they weren't smart enough to ditch the bag and all extraneous attachments, such as the baseplate with the airtag.
@MKNYC_ Being an x New Yorker, you are probably right. He would have been asked for his phone and wallet in a persuasive manner!
@@MKNYC_ Copenhagen is sooo civilised.
I definitely wouldn't try confrontations in the US. More guns per capita than ppl.
Anyone feel like trading in their life for $25k?
Dude, you handled that soooo much better than I would have. What an incredible story! Glad you got your gear back from those scumbags.
not much he could do. Foreign land surrounded by criminals. Could have been worse for him....
@@RayValdezPhotography Surrounded by criminals? what on earth are you talking about, Copenhagen is one of the safest places you can go, also did we forget that he did leave a valuable bag outside in the middle of the city center in a bicycle
If you try this in US, pack heat & police backup.👀😬😶
police probably wouldn't help a foreigner
@@kit.e6864what are you talking about?!
What everyone seems to be missing is you're speaking English in Denmark. The thieves are forced to use their second language, while drunk, and you have the advantage directly. Your commanding tone also thows them on the back the foot.
This is a perfect example of technology at play, compassion, and being calm headed.
Couldve gone either way.
You got your gear back, the dude got a free meal, we got entertained. This is going to blow up
Compassion is used far too often. They will be doing this again. Any sob story is just that. They were not desperate or hungry. Seemed well fed and in clean clothes.
@@POVwithRC Compassion? He's a THIEF. How many other people has he stolen from?
@@QuicknStraight
I hate to break it to you, but even thieves have back stories.
This man showed incredible humanity and personal inner strength and discipline. He was not only able to retrieve his gear, but he did so in a way that is very introspective and big picture and led to a reasonable outcome.
Compassion is not selective. You either embody it or you don't. This doesn't mean you can't ever be a victim caused by other's actions, and feel hurt, angry, cheated, etc. It just means you're strong and courageous enough to make the mindful choice to rise above victimhood and childlike Rambo retribution to solve challenges.
It's theft. It sucks and no one wants to experience it. The act itself is morally wrong and a crime. Understood. No argument.
However, calmness is always going to produce a better outcome than choas, rage and retribution. The world needs more of it, not less.
What video did you just watch?
@@POVwithRCVery true. I would have given them a reminder not to mess with Americans. A good scare, no need to commit any crimes. Euros are very submissive
My heart is racing listening to this
You were WAY nicer than I would have been! Holy cow, that was the nicest way to confront thieves I've ever seen!!!
Just trying to be a good human ;)
hard to risk violence in a foreign country
Seriously. If it were me, that interaction would have gone in a different direction. He did the right thing.
DUDE, I got SO nervous watching this video!
You acted just peeeerfectly in this situation, keeping it all calm is the best thing you could've done.
Ordering even more AirTags as I'm writing this. What a legend you are.
Dude, I had to track down a porch pirate who stole an rf28-70 last year. At $3000 I was devastated and because it was a confirmed delivery I wasnt getting much help from the retailer. Luckily I have a camera on my porch and to spare you the details I got my lens back. My confrontation involved a little more violence😂 My daily job is of the official capacity with a badge so I dont eff round with thieves. Props for keeping your cool, even a Hassy isnt worth a stabbing.
Yikes! Yeah, I had already resigned myself to them being gone and didn’t want to end up either in a foreign hospital or foreign jail… haha
@@benjhaisch BTW, pretty solid endorsement for the ray bans.
ACAB
At that point I’m just going to ship it to the store and pick it up from there. Even if I forgot to pick it up and realize it on the last day of the store holding it for me. It will get sent back and I get refunded. I NEVER have my expensive stuff delivered to my house. Thankfully I live in a safe neighborhood and we never deal with porch pirates. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
Yaaa I put cameras in my trees in the yard. I have one pointed right at the mailbox. Crack heads have taken too many packages from my house. It was awkward when I had to confront my neighbor for walking around my house at 3am. My yard is huge. He was smoking that shit I'm sure.
I respect how you handled it! Glad you got it all back.
Oh, this one is gonna do numbers. 📈
Yeah most definitely...especially among camera gear heads
@@mattdayphoto the algorithm is gonna get ya. This popped up and I've never seen this channel before
Considering that my camera bag with $3000 worth of equipment was stolen while I was attending mass in the main Catholic Cathedral, in San Jose, Costa Rica 1.5 years ago (never recovered-the thief snuck up behind me and grabbed the bag from the pew I was sitting in), this story has a much happier ending than mine---I never recovered the equipment. Congrats to the photographer. My camera is much smaller so I'm not sure about putting a tracker inside a bottom plate. Thanks again !!!
Damn! Crazy story man! Glad it worked out in the end
wild story. I think every camera should have implemented a "find my" functionality and some security features. A $50 phone has more security features than a multi-thousand dollar camera body. That's ridiculous.
@@TheBigNegative-PhotoChannel came here to say the same thing, wild how it’s not built into just about any mid to pro range camera now
Absolutely!
Listen, Canon
Listen, Sony
Listen, Nikon
Listen Fuji
Listen Leica
Listen Hasselblad
Listen Panasonic
Shame on you!!!
Ridiculous? Do you really want a login/delay each time you go to pick up your camera?
@@sandb1867 Yeah, right, I didn't think about that. That's why it never caught on with smartphones either. ... But seriously, just put a fingerprint sensor where you naturally have your finger when you pick up the camera, and also, like with smartwatches, the camera could lock itself when you put it down. There are plenty of other ways it could work. Even a simple code you could enter would be enough for situations where you're not shooting continuously, like when traveling.
This
This was a wild story. So happy it worked out positive for you - and honestly, I think it's great that you acted in charity rather than justice. That says a ton about your character!
The most important thing is you were able to get your stuff back and come out of it safe and unharmed.
100%
Best AirTag commercial! Apple should pay you those $28 back
@@tannskaya that's a strange take... Why should apple do that? They helped him save thousands already
I have never seen you or your channel before, but man you've earned my respect. Well handled, congrats on getting your gear back!
My kid left his bike at school over a vacation. Of course he didn't lock it up. a week later, I tracked it down to a homeless housing place. We got it back. a few months later, we realize the bike was gone again from our backyard. I tracked it down to a town over. I walked around the building and it shows that its in this building. The cops come. We couldn't find it. Turns out, if I had turned around, it was in a car 20' behind me across a street. I tell everyone in neighborhood about the bike. The bike disappears and pops up in the middle of the woods a few towns over. We got there and I walk up and down the street. A guy at the house comes out and helps me look for a minute. Then he goes in and puts on a shirt, comes out and tell me that he bought the bike for $18 from a homeless guy. Got the bike back for the second time. $25 airtag saved a $500 bike twice for my kiddo being dumb.
@@revaaronwhich shithole country do you live in?!
Pulled up and stood on business. Mad respect 🤝
One other dynamic that kept you safe is…you’re not small Ben, I would not brawl with you if I was a thief 😂💯
My 5 foot 6, 150lbs self is not intimidating anyone. Them AirTags came in clutch tho.
Haha yeah, you can see in the video that I’m definitely looking “down” at the guys when I walk up
You are a good man Benj, a lot more patience and controlled then I could ever be in that situation. So happy you got your gear back and I have just ordered some AirTags! Thanks for sharing this story 🙏
How this entire thing played out is a testimony to two things: 1) Technology is on our side today, and 2) your character even in a situation like this is a goal all creatives (and people in general) should strive for. Well done my friend.
Technology *can* be on our sides but obviously as a blanket statement that seems naive.
@@TheShelbinator3000You missed 3. It happened in Scandinavia not the US or many other parts of the world. Even thieves are just more civilised.
Technology is most certainly working against us more than working for us.
99.99999% of technology is there with the explicit purpose to extract money from you in some form.
The best of this type of technology is really good at presenting you with convenience, which can feel like a friend, while it's filling the coffers of banks on the back end, none which belong to you. Should you benefit from that exchange, that's fine, but it isn't compulsory by any means.
This is not me being an alarmist, rather being a realist.
Technology can be amazing up until the point a white collar crook at the top sees dollar signs. That phenomenon is nearly preconceived so there isn't a large window of technology remaining innocuous.
Sometimes I wonder if the world is really prepared and ready for the world.
I'm glad your situation worked out safely. As someone who recently had $20k USD equipment stolen, I appreciate this video. My situation was a bit different, but after I immediately looked into way to attach AirTags to my cameras and how to hide an additional in the case. I ended up with two SmallRig solutions. One was the R3 Cage with AirTag holder, and the other was the AirTag baseplate.
When you have kids, especially, it’s always in the back of your mind of how you can safely get through a situation. Even subconsciously it’s there. You handled it really well, but so many that may argue that you should have escalated clearly aren’t in that mindset. I use to confront others too often or react poorly on the road with inept drivers until I had a family to look out for.
Excellent story on how AirTags can make a difference. I congratulate you on your style with these crooks. You found the perfect balance between being adamant and confident without being aggressive. So happy you got your gear back!
As a Danish citizen, I would like to apologize for this experience. It is atypical that something like this would happen, as Denmark is known for being one of the least criminal countries in the world. Glad you managed to get the equipment back.
Also good he went and got it, because police would have shrugged and sent him on his way.
@@patmog and that is why crime rates in Denmark Are low. Cause it is almost impossible to have any crime registered. Now that is a smart Way to keep “crime low” make it impossible to’report. Denmark is a shit hole, only fun for the criminals
@@martingjelstrup everyone wants to say that about their hometown... not true in the slightest. Pickpockets are a serious issue over there.
Classical musicians routinely ride public transport with a $50,000 of gear. We understand.
Glad you got that gear back! The worst feeling is realizing you 'lost' it...Nice job handling the situation 👌
AirTags are AMAZING for this kind of thing. They have helped me out several times.
Ben : I never leave a bag alone , and if I can , carry my cameras in a bag that does not scream " camera " , I used a satchel , like for Legal Documents , that was TSA approved in first trip to SE Asia , second trip i used DIMKE F-1 and it stored beneath the HONDA AIR BLADE seat locked and out of the weather. I did have an item fall out of the dome , or I took it out by mistake... left it at the Viet language Cafe where I had a cool beer , after photographing the Fishing Fleet ... Came back after realizing that was where the SUN extension lens set for my MX-EVS ROLLEI 75mm 3.5 was last out. I asked very old man about it he opened the cage screen at cafe , he was complaining but lo and behold the case was in his hands ....a customer noticed I had left it , and given it to him ... he had no idea how to reach me ... I paid in US Dollar to him $ 60 , his eyes popped out and his Wife even came out and sweetly thanked me , and she was so nice ... so , in Vietnam villages people are very honest. I did not have those glasses you have or Air Tags. I carry only a small bit of equipment and leave the rest in Locked Cases , in my HOTEL. I use PENGUIN cases for travel. This was 2017 , near NA TRANG , VIETNAM.
Nice kit! Glad you got it back!
Cheaper than a finders fee. You diffuse any hostility or possible he could have ran away. Well done.
"Cheaper than a finders fee" - Okay, I "defuse" by handing him the money, he then hands over the cameras, I then ROB HIM of the money I just gave him !
Great story. Several years ago I had just cleared the security screening in the Ho Chi Minh City airport. It was busy and crowded, and I got distracted by it all. I accidentally left my camera bag with my camera and some really expensive lenses behind and went to the boarding gate with my wife. About 20 minutes later I realized my mistake. You will remember that feeling in your stomach when you realize your mistake ... and your equipment was more expensive than mine. To my shock, the bag and all its contents were still there! I was very thankful and my great wife didn't even give me a speech. Your story reminds me that I need to get air tags for my equipment.
Being homeless is no excuse for being a thief, and I don't have any empathy for a thief. I've traveled quite a bit out of the country, and usually, you can't turn a corner without seeing a policeman. As a retired police officer, I understand that the police are spread thin, but I thought police presence in Copenhagen was quite visible. However, understanding that you were in a precarious position, paying him was the lesser of the evils.
I am surprised that you haven't received more comments like, "If that was me, I would have ... (fill in the level of violence)." I will not recommend it, but my type-A personality has gotten me into trouble before. It is the reason why when I'm out of the country, I always carry a rather substantial Bogen Monopod when I'm carrying expensive camera gear.
Larry from Texas
"no excuse for being a thief, and I don't have any empathy for a thief" - Amen !
Benj, thank you so much for sharing this! I was head of international sales and traveled constantly - I see that everywhere now, there are hurting people that do opportunity stealing. It only takes 2 seconds to grab and run. I had a 60 yr old sales guy get his bag stolen in Frankfort Airport while it was on the ground touching his leg! He ran after the guy through much of the airport and actually tackled the guy to the ground in front of the exit. The police held him and the thief until they figured it out.
We need to be safety alert all the time. Congrats for your success!
Well done, sir. You navigated a difficult situation well. That was a pretty cheap lesson, although the emotional cost was pretty high.
Epic experience Benj! Glad you got it all back!
You are a good man my friend. I would have been to full of anger to have kept it so cool.
Dude....awesome video start to finish!
And what an advert for Airtags. Already wanted to get some, this is just even more of a reason to do it pronto
🤣
INSURANCE IS IMPORTANT, technology and police can only go so far
The story effectively answers the question, "How do you get $25k of camera gear stolen when traveling on vacation with 2 kids?"
The algorithm is crazy. I literally just got my entire camera roller bag stolen and recovered after moving into a new home and realizing it was broken into the same day. Will have to make a video about my experience as well. It’s even juicier than your story.
Best ad ever for AirTags , I use them with all my gear. You handled it all so well , thanks for sharing.
What a story! And I think you handled it all well. I am the same way. I would have approached being 6’1 and for the most part those guys just need something to eat or get by and realistically for them to not have all the hassle they usually just want the money.
Glad this worked out so well in your favor
Wild ride! Need some AirTags haha. Great video Benj!
Unblur their faces. Never show mercy with thieves.
In only extreme cases where someone has done something heinous should they be revealed. These blokes could just be down on their luck because of the bad system we live in.
@@Lostinthemoors They are unlucky because of the system? In that case, we should all be homeless
@@Lostinthemoors - "only extreme cases where someone has done something heinous" - Typical Pollyanna Leftist ideology🤮Wrong is Wrong
@@Lostinthemoors Yes bad system, especially in Denmark. Get a grip.
You came out unscathed.. no violence...very well played. Congratulations to you. Handled perfectly.
The man laughing in the back🤣
Denmark is such a nice place to visit. Everyone speaks English, including the thieves.
Props to you for being so calmed, I would have picked up a baseball bat instead of those glasses to go and get my stuff back
Foreign countries are not the USA. You could spend days in jail for assault until they sorted it out. Best idea: take you bag inside with you and keep it locked up or on you at all times.
What a great video! I's so glad it's getting such good views, you told the story really well!
By the way, in a situation like this i know you are panicking at that moment, turn off your phone from battery saver mode this allows you to have maximum range from outputting and range at that moment. The background refresh happens much faster. But so glad you found your bag.
Ah good point! I hadn’t thought of that at all until now
The whole country of thieves were watching you the whole day waiting for the second you walk away from that bag
I just saw your tiktok video, time to order a few airtag plates from your affiliate links 💀
Legendary move there! I wish I had my AirTags on when I got my camera bag with all my gear + money & documents stolen in Paris last year. TH-cam recommended this video today and the most insane thing seeing this is that I saw your viral video on Insta and I was in Copenhagen few days ago thinking how safe the place is. We can't take a break no matter how uncomfortable. Learned it the hard way. Now, I have an AirTags army everywhere. 🤗
One of the best YT videos I've ever seen. Great job, and congrats! Glad you got your stuff back. Such a great story with a great ending. Bravo!
@1:53 maybe, instead of the messenger bag, it's time to switch to a back pack that won't get in the way 🤷♂
My camera bag and contents are worth about $4000 when travelling, its one camera, two lenses, three batteries, and some filters. , but no way would I ever put it down, but after watching this I will be hiding an AirTag in my bag. Great video and you dealt with it in a very calm way, way more calm than I would have done.👍👍
How to make a 18 min video of something that could be explained in 1 min.
This is a great story Ben, you had some balls to do this. You can tell they were shocked, I am getting some air tags. You kept your cool too, better than i would. lol Your empathy and compassion shows. Awesome.
I do not have sympathy regarding thieves, the homeless are not thieves, and those guys should go to jail.
Btw, this is also why as a professional, you should have gear insurance, specifically for situations like this. Bringing $30k worth of gear on a family vacation is also kind of silly, unless you are on a job that generates you income, you keep the nice stuff unadvertised, or at home. OR you have someone there whose job it is to watch your gear. It’s as silly as bringing a kitting out ARI or FX9 on vacation. lol. If it is work, bring the nice stuff, and most of all, make sure it is insured through your insurance. If it is for family stuff, bring a cheap camera that can be broken/stolen/destroyed, etc.
A few thoughts come to mind.
1) did you ever consider, maybe while on your way to the place where your gear was, to call / involve law enforcement ? I can't imagine that would have hurt your chances of getting the gear back, and had it been a younger, faster, more violent purpetrator, it might have helped... A lot !
2) being a professional photographer, surely you have your gear insured ? I mean, I get that you were on a trip where you might need the gear. But on the other hand, at least with my photography gear insurance, I would get all brand new stuff with zero deductible and no depreciation. Brand new is "usually better".
Of course their is the principal of the matter > not wanting the scumbag thieves to get away with the crime.
Anyway, glad you got your stuff back 🙂👍
This was so so satisfying, just like those "hackers get hacked back" videos. Super happy to see you got your gear back! Also brb ordering some AirTags ASAP!
Those tags need to sponsor this video asap 😂
I love that Arca quick release from Smallrig, Polar Pro also makes body caps where you can put an Airtag inside and they're great too
Not worth the possibility of losing your life for camera gear. The chance of getting stabbed in the back or beaten by a larger group...this is why gear insurance exist so your wife doesn't end up into a widow.
calm down princess
"Not worth the possibility" - Whatever pacifist wussy Right is Right & these thieves shouldn't get away with their crimes. Look at what's happening to the State of California. Wussy ideology like yours made things escalate, get out of control & become lawless. AT THE LEAST scream out for a Cop !
@@cliveramsbotty6077 Thanks "cliveramsbotty6077" for your troll reply, it only helps boost my comment higher to the top 😂
@@cliveramsbotty6077 I made it sound very dramatic so that someone would reply and boost my comment up higher thus making more people see it. The point is the same at the end of the day. Thanks for replying 😂
You handled this situation perfectly IMO. This is more than the cost of some cars, and a little 28 bucks to get it back. Dude, good for you.
Am I the only one who thinks this story is complete bs? 😂
Those are the most polite thieves I’ve ever seen.
The dumbest thing in this video, was leaving a 25k camera in a bag unattended :D
I agree
Best advertisement for AirTags ever
Have to commend you for being so calm, very admirable.
Glad you got your stuff back. Brandon Butch highlighted this in a recent video which brought me here. I’ll stay awhile!
Oh love the base plate, I have one hidden in my camera bag and lens cap, but oh love the ability for place one on the camera in a way that not easily removed. Thanks for the link!
Man. I'm so glad you got yours back. I got my stuff stolen in a boat from Barcelona to Ibiza. They dug into my bag while I was sleeping. I couldn't believe it. Never got em back, even the police at the station told me that I'll never get it back. It was worth about 15k. 2 Cameras 4 lenses, go pros and other things...it was a sad vacation for sure.
Definitely behind you on what you did. We work too hard for someone to just take our stuff. Former front line worker... FULL RESPECT on how you handled it!
Glad you got your gear back! Think you handled it better than I might have...just glad it all worked out.
Dude, what a wild story. I'm so happy you got it back.
I love how you positioned yourself inbetween them and the bag quickly. ASSERT YOUR SIGMA DOMINANCE 😂 I think it’s great to approach this calmly like you did. I say suck it up and give thieves mercy. You just want your stuff back in one piece. Let them lie. Let them “pretend” they just “found it”. I think having two kids contributed to how well you handled this lol. Nice work.
Glad you got your stuff back - this is my perpetual nightmare scenario!
You were lucky with this city and these particular guys. If this had been London or Paris you’d have some extra holes in your body! You made a judgement based on your circumstances and it was the right one.
I have air tags in my gear mainly in case I leave something in a cafe by mistake etc. and it does give and extra peace of mind. Those plates are neat though so I’m going to get some! Thanks for sharing!
Very interesting video for all photo and videographers out there. This a difficult topic we often come across with no clear ideas and / or solutions. Thanks for sharing this interesting video.
To me the most interesting part is not just the fact of having airtags or any other device but the way you handled this particular situation. The complete process and steps! 👏👏
You handled this so well. I don’t believe I would have handled it as calmly you did. Smart to give them the money they asked for. That was a no brainer.
Really impressed how you handled this. Incredible exercise in non-confrontation.
"opportunity makes a thief"
you handled it very well! so awesome you got your stuff back and thanks for the heads up on the smallrig airtags thingymabobs! lol
well done on making the smallrig plates sell out on amazon in like, days! so glad you got your stuff back man. Well done.
I'm glad you have it back
Great to see you getting the Stuff back! I also have a AirTag in each of my Camera Bags since some years but I maybe should add one to my Camera as well.
i love seeing success storys like that, im glad you got your gear back! i might consider an airtag now for my stuff!!
What an amazing story and conclusion. Glad you are safe mate.
That's so wild! Tracking everything down after it's been gone for 20 min is a hell of a feat. Glad it worked out for you! I have several air tags for my bags, some of them double tagged, but definitely picking up something to put on the camera too.