# How do you keep your gear secure?



## Ozarker (Aug 4, 2015)

Let's face it; Photography as a profession, or as a hobby, can ad up to a very expensive list of equipment over time. While there is insurance to protect our gear from theft, what a hassle it must be to report and then file a claim if such a thing does occur.

I live in an apartment. Besides myself, there are several other people who have access... the landlord, the maintenance crew, sometimes the exterminator. All of them have seen me come and go with my equipment. Heck, the whole complex probably has.

This got me to thinking: What can I do to make things safer for my gear and prevent theft? For me there are two obvious choices. I can either buy another gun safe ($1,000) or get one of those construction site tool boxes ($250.00). I guess I can get a dog too.

Have any of you come up with interesting ways to help prevent the theft of your gear?


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## Maximilian (Aug 4, 2015)

Hi CanonFanBoy!

So you have fear of burglary/theft and you're thinking about how to avoid it or safe all your belongings.
And I can understand this and have the same thoughts.

Problem is that if burglars get into your apartment they believe that they can get something of worth. 
Sometimes if they don't find something to their expectations they play havoc in your apartment and that'll make it much worse for you than losing a good lens or body.

Maybe it's better just to save your data/pictures, get a good insurance and get all your equipment and serial numbers listed up and let the insurance pay. 

I think you must keep the burglars from intruding into your house and not to lock your belongings away into an atomic shelter 
Of course it's is difficult to trust in all of the stuff getting into your apartment to be people of honor. 
But here I'd say it is most important to not give them an easy way to take something with them. 
They won't be interested in a big white or 1DX body because it's too big. They'd take some money with them if it's lying around. 

So have burglar resistant windows, door and lock, close all the windows and lock the door, have a good relationship to your neighbors so they keep an eye on your apartment when you're not around, etc. 
This will help much more but it's also quite difficult in our more and more anonymous and social media based world where virtual neighbors from another continent are closer to you than the guy next door 

Be safe and I hope that your fear won't turn into reality.


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## Deleted member 91053 (Aug 5, 2015)

I use a (now redundant) gun safe, stood 4 burglaries so far!


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## brad-man (Aug 5, 2015)

The first things I would do in your situation is to carry your gear in cases that do not scream "photo equipment" to your neighbors or anyone else that sees you leaving your car or apartment. The other easy suggestion would be to install a keyed cylinder lock on your bedroom/bedroom closet door. The landlord only needs access to the utilities in your unit in case of emergency (broken waterline, etc.), and has no need to enter your bedroom. Hopefully you don't eat in your bedroom and so have no pest problems there. In other words, keep to a minimum the number of people who can see that you have expensive gear. Insurance, gun safe or jobsite toolbox are also very good options. Sometimes it doesn't pay to advertise...


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## neuroanatomist (Aug 6, 2015)

Insurance is the best option. Personally, I keep my gear in Pelican Storm cases in my bedroom closet (I have lots of gear, but fortunately we have separate 'his' and 'here' walk-ins). I don't lock them, I use them because roofs can leak, pipes can burst, and there's the risk of liquid from other sources (anyone with a toddler can relate!). We have an alarm system, too. But basically nothing will stop a determined burgler. 

A friend in college was burgled - they took everything. Everything! The toaster oven. The underwear. They pulled up and removed the carpet and padding. I mean everything!


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## Ozarker (Aug 8, 2015)

Maximilian said:


> Hi CanonFanBoy!
> 
> So you have fear of burglary/theft and you're thinking about how to avoid it or safe all your belongings.
> And I can understand this and have the same thoughts.
> ...



Hello Max!

Yes, it is a fear of mine. I rent this flat so cannot change the windows or doors. I do have insurance. About all I own is my camera gear, my guitars, and my guns. The guns are well secured. No worry about theft there. The camera gear is the main worry. Thanks for the advice!


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## Ozarker (Aug 8, 2015)

brad-man said:


> The first things I would do in your situation is to carry your gear in cases that do not scream "photo equipment" to your neighbors or anyone else that sees you leaving your car or apartment. The other easy suggestion would be to install a keyed cylinder lock on your bedroom/bedroom closet door. The landlord only needs access to the utilities in your unit in case of emergency (broken waterline, etc.), and has no need to enter your bedroom. Hopefully you don't eat in your bedroom and so have no pest problems there. In other words, keep to a minimum the number of people who can see that you have expensive gear. Insurance, gun safe or jobsite toolbox are also very good options. Sometimes it doesn't pay to advertise...



Great advice, but they do require access to all rooms for extermination. No bugs around I think because they are very diligent about that here. We're in the desert so the whole city is infested.


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## Ozarker (Aug 8, 2015)

johnf3f said:


> I use a (now redundant) gun safe, stood 4 burglaries so far!



Yes, I think the gun safe is the answer. It would not have to be large either. Just big enough to hold the camera, lenses, and speedlites. 

Most of my gun gear fills a jobsite box along with the ammunition. It takes up a lot of room, but I think it would be very hard to break into. It would be impossible to cart out of here (high hundreds of pounds). 

The beauty of a gun safe would be the smaller footprint. I could bolt it to the floor like the jobsite box. I don't have to lock up light stands and modifiers. It is the body and lenses I worry about. Insurance is there, but the deductible is high.


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## Ozarker (Aug 8, 2015)

neuroanatomist said:


> Insurance is the best option. Personally, I keep my gear in Pelican Storm cases in my bedroom closet (I have lots of gear, but fortunately we have separate 'his' and 'here' walk-ins). I don't lock them, I use them because roofs can leak, pipes can burst, and there's the risk of liquid from other sources (anyone with a toddler can relate!). We have an alarm system, too. But basically nothing will stop a determined burgler.
> 
> A friend in college was burgled - they took everything. Everything! The toaster oven. The underwear. They pulled up and removed the carpet and padding. I mean everything!



I didn't even think of Pelican cases and your reason for using them is excellent. All my guns are stored in Pelican cases inside a jobsite box. I can't think of a better case for camera and lenses. Since I am on the ground floor, they make even more sense.

Those were some rabid thieves your friend had! My wife and I had a good laugh at that.

Thanks for the idea!


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