Traveler's Theft Recovery
Spende geschützt
Hey everyone, Ben here, under unfortunate circumstances I could really use some help. I really hate to share this but after years of safe travel one of the worst things has happened. On Oct 13th in Bakersfield California, I was preparing to leave for Yosemite National Park. Packing up my motorcycle, all bags strapped in, I drove down the street to a local Starbucks for breakfast. Parking directly in front of the Starbucks, broad daylight, I walked in for a quick coffee and breakfast sandwich. Unfortunately when I walked out I couldn't eat the rest of the day. The rear of my bike where I keep my bags was pulled apart. Missing was my backpack and camera bag. In complete shock I scrambled around to find something to chase. But out of thin air, my gear and the people who did this were gone. Gear in questions worth totaling just over $2700.
Everyone who knows me, understands how uptight I am about the safety of my gear. Taking 30lbs of gear on every hike, canyon, waterway, descent, I never leave it unattended. Being that all gear on the bike was strapped and covered from sight, so close to me, it should not have been an issue.
Police of course had arrived, and after explaining my story I was convinced someone had to have watched me pack my bike at my hotel. A bystander who saw the event, didn't catch a license plate but saw a Ford Explorer pull up to the bike, a man jumped out to rip off my bags, and was gone. It was that fast and with no cameras or anything around I was left in the dark. It could have happened anywhere but the fact of being so close to the end, just getting into California, was the worst feeling I've had in a long time. After providing serial numbers and working with the police department, I'm confident my gear is gone. According to them this kind of thing is very common in that area. To make matters worse, after dealing with this issue the last few days, nothing is going to be covered by my insurance.
I didn't know where else to turn.
Multiple friends recommended go-fund-me so I thought I'd give this one last shot. I sincerely hate to ask for money. I can't even explain how much it sucks telling the story. I was hoping with enough support I could raise some of the money back for new gear. Being in the middle of a backpacking trip and moving to LA, I wasn't expecting this large of a loss.
I completely understand if people are unable to donate. With everyone having there own things going on: bills, priorities, moves, etc. I am setting my goal at around half the amount of what was lost. Asking for small donations as silly as it sounds, even 3 or 4 dollars you'd be willing to part with. That itself would be a huge help. One less cup of coffee or beer at the bar. You may not notice it, but it would mean the world to me. With enough support and sharing I believe we could hit it. If you'd like to donate more I'd be at a loss for words of how thankful I am. I don't know how I can repay anyone's support but knowing it will go to gear used to inspire others I hope makes it more meaningful.
In the end, even if I don't make my goal, I'll understand and keep moving forward. If I do, the money will be used to purchase new camera gear. In the meantime, I have around one thousand miles to go on the motorcycle before I reach Los Angeles. Keeping my chin up, I want to thank everyone ahead of time who has supported my goals and aspirations. I couldn't have done any of this without the support of my family and friends. Thank you sincerely again for reading. Listed below is what was stolen. Safe travels everyone
What was stolen:
Canon Bag - Inside:
-Sony Alpha A6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 16-50mm lens
-Sony E mount 55-210mm Lens (black)
-Sony 32G Sd Memory Card Class 10 (40mb/s)
-Sony NPFW50 BATTERY F/NEX3/5
-Sony VCLECF1 Fisheye Conversion Lens F/16mm
-Sony e mount 16mm Lens F/NEX
-Sony HVL-F43M TTL Shoe Mount Flash
-Lexar Pro 1000X UHS 2 U3 SDHC Memory Card-32GB
-Sony AS200 Action Cam with Water Housing
-Sony NP-BX1 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack
-Death Lens Fisheye for iPhone
-Backup Motorcycle Key Value
Ozark Trail Backpack
Inside:
-Prescription Ray-ban Glasses
-Most of my clothes, shirts, socks, boxers etc.
-Apple Charger, Lightning Cable, & EarPods
-Miscellaneous: deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste etc.
Everyone who knows me, understands how uptight I am about the safety of my gear. Taking 30lbs of gear on every hike, canyon, waterway, descent, I never leave it unattended. Being that all gear on the bike was strapped and covered from sight, so close to me, it should not have been an issue.
Police of course had arrived, and after explaining my story I was convinced someone had to have watched me pack my bike at my hotel. A bystander who saw the event, didn't catch a license plate but saw a Ford Explorer pull up to the bike, a man jumped out to rip off my bags, and was gone. It was that fast and with no cameras or anything around I was left in the dark. It could have happened anywhere but the fact of being so close to the end, just getting into California, was the worst feeling I've had in a long time. After providing serial numbers and working with the police department, I'm confident my gear is gone. According to them this kind of thing is very common in that area. To make matters worse, after dealing with this issue the last few days, nothing is going to be covered by my insurance.
I didn't know where else to turn.
Multiple friends recommended go-fund-me so I thought I'd give this one last shot. I sincerely hate to ask for money. I can't even explain how much it sucks telling the story. I was hoping with enough support I could raise some of the money back for new gear. Being in the middle of a backpacking trip and moving to LA, I wasn't expecting this large of a loss.
I completely understand if people are unable to donate. With everyone having there own things going on: bills, priorities, moves, etc. I am setting my goal at around half the amount of what was lost. Asking for small donations as silly as it sounds, even 3 or 4 dollars you'd be willing to part with. That itself would be a huge help. One less cup of coffee or beer at the bar. You may not notice it, but it would mean the world to me. With enough support and sharing I believe we could hit it. If you'd like to donate more I'd be at a loss for words of how thankful I am. I don't know how I can repay anyone's support but knowing it will go to gear used to inspire others I hope makes it more meaningful.
In the end, even if I don't make my goal, I'll understand and keep moving forward. If I do, the money will be used to purchase new camera gear. In the meantime, I have around one thousand miles to go on the motorcycle before I reach Los Angeles. Keeping my chin up, I want to thank everyone ahead of time who has supported my goals and aspirations. I couldn't have done any of this without the support of my family and friends. Thank you sincerely again for reading. Listed below is what was stolen. Safe travels everyone
What was stolen:
Canon Bag - Inside:
-Sony Alpha A6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 16-50mm lens
-Sony E mount 55-210mm Lens (black)
-Sony 32G Sd Memory Card Class 10 (40mb/s)
-Sony NPFW50 BATTERY F/NEX3/5
-Sony VCLECF1 Fisheye Conversion Lens F/16mm
-Sony e mount 16mm Lens F/NEX
-Sony HVL-F43M TTL Shoe Mount Flash
-Lexar Pro 1000X UHS 2 U3 SDHC Memory Card-32GB
-Sony AS200 Action Cam with Water Housing
-Sony NP-BX1 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack
-Death Lens Fisheye for iPhone
-Backup Motorcycle Key Value
Ozark Trail Backpack
Inside:
-Prescription Ray-ban Glasses
-Most of my clothes, shirts, socks, boxers etc.
-Apple Charger, Lightning Cable, & EarPods
-Miscellaneous: deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste etc.
Organisator
Benjamin Edwards
Organisator
Naperville, IL