Most people are aware that pickpockets and other thieves operate in crowded tourist destinations but do you know about “cut and run” thefts?

Cut and Run thefts occur in crowded areas such as subway trains, train or subway platforms, on buses, or pedestrian areas where lots of people are crowded into a small space. A gang of thieves will surround you, pretending to be fellow passengers, they don’t show any sign of knowing each other. As you get on or off the train among the crowd, you will be jostled by these “passengers”, a natural occurrence. Then the thief behind you cuts the camera strap, he supports the camera from behind so that you don’t feel it falling and as you walk forward the camera stays in his hands. Not an easy thing to do, but then they have had plenty of practice.

Camera Snatches occur when you leave your camera unattended for a moment and an opportunistic thief picks it up and walks off with it. The thief could be working alone or in a group. If there is more than one thief, one of them could attract your attention whilst the other one steals the camera. If there he is working alone, he will have been watching you and waiting for you to put your camera down either on an empty chair or over the back of your seat when in a restaurant.

Thieves will also break into cars or hotel rooms just to see if there is anything valuable there, so don’t think that covering the camera up so that it can’t be seen will stop a thief from finding it.

Tips for Protecting your Camera

1. Don’t carry your camera on show. Get yourself a plain bag, not one with Kodak, Canon or Nikon written all over it, to keep your camera in. This will protect your camera from knocks as well.
2. Keep the camera on your person at all times. Don’t just leave it on an empty chair or over the back of your chair when you are in a restaurant. Put it on the floor between your feet and put your chair leg through the strap. Just remember to pick it up when you leave.
3. Leaving it hanging round your neck isn’t the best place for it. A quick knife cut and the camera is gone.
4. Be aware of what is going on around you. Look round you to see if there is anyone hanging about before you get your camera out to take photographs. It is a good idea to wrap the strap round your wrist a couple of times before you get the camera out of the bag.
5. Take out insurance. However careful you are, you can’t prevent a determined thief from taking your camera if they really want it. Your home insurance will probably allow you to cover valuable items outside the home for an extra fee. Your travel insurance will cover you for theft; just make sure that the cover is enough to replace your camera and look for polices that specifically cover cameras and other photographic equipment.
6. Get yourself a reliable camera strap. These straps look and feel like normal camera straps but they have steel cables woven into them. This means that they can’t be cut by a thief.  The security straps also have security clips so that when you have to put the camera down you can secure it to a chair or other stationery object. These straps come in a variety of sizes and styles and attach securely to most cameras, binoculars and camera cases.
7. Other camera security products available today include security backpacks, duffel bags and wire mesh covers that protect your camera from being taken from your bag if you leave it in your office, hotel or vehicle.
8. Uglify your camera! Cover the shiny surface with artist’s tape or black photo tape which will come off without leaving marks on your camera. Colour the tape with black or brown marker tape to make it look dirty and use pieces of duct tape to make the camera look like it is barely holding together.
9. Make the camera look like a film camera by turning off the LCD screen or covering up and hold the camera to your eye.

Any security device is only effective if you use it and use it properly. The security straps and bags are designed to put off the casual thief, so they’ll leave you alone and move on to someone else who is less careful. These tips will help you keep hold of your expensive camera gear and help you to keep those precious memories.

Just remember you’re on a vacation trying to have some fun and enjoying the time with your family. Don’t let your vacation make a thief happy, too.