Camera Theft - A Serious Issue!  

The short version? The keyword is knife !  Don't fight back !

If the thief comes up behind you to cut the camera strap/web with a knife and run off with your camera, your natural reaction is to fight back. WRONG! Don't show up to a knife fight with a camera. Let it go. Back away.

Why do I say this? I resisted a thief who tried to grab my camera, I fought back. He stabbed me between my shoulder and chest. A few inches to the left? Blink of an eye. Game over! I was fortunate that Mercy Hospital was ten minutes away. What if I was in a city that did not speak English? What if I didn't have a friend to rush me to the hospital?

Don’t fight. Back away. Insure your stuff if it’s worth a lot of money.

It will also help if you don't advertise you have expensive camera gear on you. A loud red or yellow strap with the name MONEY HERE embroidered on it is just looking for more trouble. While the beautiful leather camera bag people will be mad at me, I think if your camera bag looks like a diaper bag … you're safer …one less thing to think about. Photography is not a beauty contest.

With the Covid-19 pandemic, the last place I want to be is in a hospital ER with an open wound.