Leica Be Careful Out There

M

Mijo

Veteran
Location
San Francisco
This weekend one of my fears was realized when I was physically assaulted and robbed of my M-E with the SEM 18mm mounted. It was on Saturday around 3:00 p.m. on Lilac St. and 24th, in San Francisco, I was shooting some graffiti in an alley when I was jumped by three guys. This is a shady part of SF, but the best graffiti is always in bad neighborhoods, that I had been to numerous times before so I let me guard down. I was too focused on what I was shooting and didn't see them coming up behind me. One sucker punch and I was down on the ground getting kicked in the head by all three them. I held out as long as I could but they got my digital kit off of me but I did manage to keep my backpack (which had my film kit and two additional lenses). Some of the homes that line that alley have video cameras, and SFPD is in the process of trying to obtain some of the videos to see if the assualt was captured. My face is badly bruised and swollen but nothing that time won't heal.

I post this not to vent but as a cautionary tale. I knew very well that this was a bad part of the city and I'm actually not suprised that this happened, a few years ago the same thing happened to another photog in a safer neighborhood (Marina) in the middle of the day too. There's been a number of assaults and robberies (and even a shooting a few days earlier) in this area so I really shouldn't have gone there. All and all, I consider myself very lucky as it could have been a lot worse since I was fighting with them to keep my back pack and M-E. If I would have sustained some permenant bodily injury, I'd be very angry at my self right now. Cameras and lens (even expensive ones) can always be replaced, dead photogs can't capture images.

Please be careful out there.
 
I am glad that you are still alive. The rest can be replaced. I used to stay until 1-2am in the French Quarter in New Orleans, taking photos, but I made sure never to walk into streets away from Bourbon Street.
 
Where I live a fall in the backcountry is the great danger. I don't know what I'd do if confronted by thieves. Glad to hear you are OK, and very sorry to hear you have lost such incredible kit.
 
asiafish said:
Hopefully your gear is covered by your homeowner's or renter's insurance.
Click to expand...

My wife forgot to renew our renters insurance in December, it wouldn't have been covered anyway though. Does anyone have renters insurance that would cover something like this? If so please post your provider as it looks like I need to swtich providers.

I talked to one of guards at my office, who is a retired police officer, and he mentioned that this type of thing happens all of the time in the city but it ussually happens to tourists that wander into the wrong parts of the city (like the Mission). He also mentioned that the odds are extremely low that they'll catch these guys (based on the information I provided him) or that I'll get my camera back. Unless the camera is brought to a pawn shop, there's very little chance it will be recovered.

I still feel lucky that they didn't get my back pack, I had a recently purchased used (like new) MP with leicavit, two lux lenses (35 FLE and 50) and the 90 macro (older version) in there. Thanks for all the postive vibes and concern!
 
Mijo: If all fails, write an email to leica in which you explain what happened to you, and see if they can make you a good offer for a replacement set.
asiafish: I pay 1%-2% of the covered value. Where did you get such a cheap premium?
 
So glad to hear you are ok. Sorry about what happen to your equipment. I remember the feeling when someone broke into my car where I left my Minolta CLE w/ 3 lens kit and the shoulder bag. I reported to the police but never got heard back from them. Really slim chance of recovery unfortunately. Thanks for the reminder. It is so easy to forget sometimes that times are tough and there are lots of dangerous people out there.
 
raid said:
Mijo: If all fails, write an email to leica in which you explain what happened to you, and see if they can make you a good offer for a replacement set.
asiafish: I pay 1%-2% of the covered value. Where did you get such a cheap premium?
Click to expand...

Raid, that's a good idea as there's nothing to lose on my end. I have to wait 7 business days before I can get a copy of the police report but I can attach that to my email, so they know I'm not making it up.
 
Finally caught a break today when I called my insurance company to inquire about renewing my renters insurance and to adjust my policy to cover something like this in the event I should get mugged again. Turns out my wife was wrong and our renters insurance hadn't expired and we're actually covered for such an event.

I talked to a claims agent and submitted the initial paperwork, I should hear back from the agent in a week. The agent stated that I should get back 100% of the cost of the lens and finder, cost of the body minus depreciation and minus a $500 deductible.
 
I talked to the Claims Agent this week and they'll be cutting me a check soon. As promised they are giving the full retail amount for the lens and viewfinder, even though I purchased them used, b/c they were purchased less than a year ago. For the M-E, they are taking off $1K of the new retail price for depreciation, since it was purchased more than 2 years ago. The upside to that is that if I purchase another M-E or similar model they will cover the difference up to the cost of what I originally paid for the M-E.

The tough question now is what camera body to get? I'm seriously considering a MM as I'm done photographing graffitti, and that's actually the only thing I prefer color for over b&w. However, there are a lot of used M9Ps on the market right now that are also tempting me. The M-P is also tempting, particular over the M9P as it has better high iso. My other consideration is leaving digital all together and using the money for a 21mm lux. The MM is currently the front runner, I'm hoping the rumored annoucement of a 240 based MM will come soon and the prices of the current MM will drop and my decision will be made for me
 
It depends on what you really prefer using. As an outsider, I would suggest to get an MM and a small color digital camera for the graffitti. It is also safer to squeeze in your pocket a small camera than a Leica again. If you are conservative, get the lens! Its value will only increase. Then wait to see what is happening with Leica digital cameras overall.
 
I send the vote for the MM and a small digital for graffiti. The X2/X-E has fantastic image quality and should do nicely in that role, while still fitting a pocket. The X Vario is extremely impressive if you don't mind a larger camera, and prices are down to $2099 brand-new ay B&H.
 
Another happy USAA customer here. I became a member through my dad when I was 16, and got the GOOD rates when I joined the service as an Second Lieutenant when I was 22.

On January 3rd, this year, a reckless, speeding driver slid on some ice and hit my home, which is an local historic landmark (built in 1820) and as was common with homes at the time in tiny villages, sits about 8 feet from the road. The driver's insurance gave me a lowball offer and balked at the actual cost to repair and reset the quarried flagstone front steps that were badly wrecked (they wanted to replace them with poured concrete at half the cost), so I called USAA and used my homeowner's policy to repair the steps to their previous condition. The stonemasons didn't even have to replace any of the stones...just removed, replaced and reset with new mortar. USAA is now going after the driver's insurance for the cost of repairs so I can get my deductible back.
 

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