Another Camera Store in the Bay Area is Rammed With a Car and Looted

Matt Growcoot
A store interior with metal security grilles bent and glass cases damaged, displaying signs of a break-in. Shattered glass covers the floor alongside fallen plants and camera equipment.
The aftermath of the robbery in Campbell.

A little over two weeks after a camera store in Berkley was rammed with a vehicle and looted, another shop in the San Francisco Bay area has suffered the same fate.

San Jose Camera and Video in Campbell was hit in the early hours of Wednesday morning in an overnight smash-and-grab robbery similar to the one that happened at Looking Glass Photo in February.

“Early Wednesday morning, March 5, our store was broken into. A vehicle rammed their car in the front entrance and looted the store,” the store writes on Facebook.

A diagonal view of a city street corner featuring a large advertisement for Sony Alpha cameras. The ad dominates the scene, with architectural details and potted plants visible below. People can be seen in the background through a window.

A damaged storefront with a partially collapsed metal security gate and framework. Broken glass and debris are scattered on the ground. Large potted plants and nearby trees are visible outside.

The store owner Chris Cismondi tells NBC Bay Area that this is not a new experience for them and the store has been robbed multiple times in the last few years, including at gunpoint.

“I think we’re about the third or fourth camera store in the past couple weeks that the same thing has happened to in the Bay Area,” Cismondi tells the local news outlet.

“It’s kind of a shame because we’ve been in business for almost 100 years. It’s been in my family for 76 years, fourth generation. It’s getting tough to stay in business and operate when this stuff happens.”

NBC Bay Area reports the suspects fled in a stolen car and officers stopped their pursuit after a short chase. Cismondi is unsure exactly how much photography gear the robbers got away with.

“The damages were pretty extensive and while insurance does help cover some of the cost to repair things, it won’t completely cover operational fees, lost wages, replacements and repairs, etc,” the store writes on Facebook.

A storefront with a wooden facade and a partially open door displaying a bright red "Yes, We're Open" sign. Two large plants in gray pots are placed on either side of the entrance.
The store is back open as of today with a temporary facade.

A photography equipment store interior with tripods displayed on the floor. Shelves on the right hold various camera accessories. Large photos and colorful backdrops line the left wall. A small open door lets in sunlight. A counter is visible in the foreground.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to aid the store with repairs. According to an update, the damages are estimated to be around $75,000, and that’s just to fix the front of the store. But San Jose is now open as of today (March 7).

San Jose Camera and Video may find hope in the “outpouring of love and support” for Looking Glass Photo after its own efforts to raise money on GoFundMe after its robbery. The store has met its $50,000 target and is so grateful it is offering a free online photography course.

Image credits: San Jose Camera and Video/GoFundMe

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