Police Search for Suspect After $20K Camera Equipment Stolen From Parked Car
Police are hunting for a suspect after $20,000 worth of professional camera gear was stolen from a parked car.
The camera equipment was reportedly stolen from a vehicle shortly before 5:00AM on July 13 from a vehicle in Walkerville, a neighborhood in Windsor, Canada.
The Windsor Police Service has released photos of the suspect believed to be linked to the theft of the camera equipment from the car and is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying him.
The unidentified male suspect was seen riding a bicycle in an alley behind a residence in the 1300 block of Gladstone Avenue in Walkerville. The suspect was captured on video surveillance entering a vehicle and stealing a large amount of camera equipment before fleeing the area.
The suspect is described as a white male wearing a baseball cap, black jacket, and a “Coors Light” backpack. He is wanted for theft over $5,000.
Anyone who can identify the suspect or has information related to this incident is asked to contact the Windsor Police Service Target Base Unit at 519-255-6700, ext. 4350. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477 (TIPS) or online at catchcrooks.com.
The police department’s announcement about the theft and the search for the suspect drew a range of reactions on social media, with some users questioning why such expensive equipment had been left in a vehicle, while others criticized the victim’s decision to store high-value camera gear in a car.
“Who leaves $20k of equipment in their cars knowing that it will get stolen?” a Facebook user writes.
Another individual sarcastically writes: “I can’t think of a better place to leave $20k in camera equipment.”
However, other photographers responded by explaining that having camera equipment stolen is a risk many professionals face, and that gear often has to be carried and stored in everyday situations.
“As a photographer, I can say it’s very easy to have $20k of equipment professional [stolen]. Camera glass [meaning lenses] is no joke!”
The incident comes after police launched an investigation after a popular macro photographer had over $10,000 worth of his specialist camera gear stolen from his locked car. The photographer discovered that his vehicle had been emptied of his carefully collected macro photography equipment overnight. He says that the equipment had been stored in a concealed compartment in the boot, suggesting the theft may have been targeted.
