Theft of Multiple Leica Cameras on Italian Train

[johnbuckley]

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I’m posting what follows as a general safety warning to those who plan on visiting Italy and using their (generally excellent) trains.

i preceded my wife to Italy by one week in late October 2024 because I participated in a fine art landscape workshop in Cinque Terre and Tuscany. From there I met my wife in Florence for a two week trip to Bologna, Venice, and Milan. Because I love street photography in Venice in particular, I had both my landscape and street kit with me — SL3, M11, M11 Mono and seven lenses. I had everything in an Oberwerth backpack.

After four nights in Florence, we headed for Venice, but with a one-night stopover in Bologna. The next day, we headed to the train station. The Bologna train station is a pretty strange multilevel maze. As we were progressing downward to our platform, a 40-ish fellow began opening doors for us. It was strange but he seemed to be going in the same direction as us. Eventually we got to the platform and he disappeared. The train was delayed by about 30 minutes, but at last it arrived, and my wife and I got onto the train. Luggage stored in the shelving at the back of the car a few feet away, we sat down in our facing seats. Typically I keep the backpack with my gear between my legs, but my wife objected to the bag taking up all the legroom, so while she placed her carryon bag beneath her seat, I foolishly lifted my backpack up directly above her, placed it on the rack, and sat back down.

My recollection is that there was a fair bit of commotion in the aisle as people found their seats and loaded their luggage above and below them. I learned subsequently that typically a crew of 6-8 thieves create a diversion in the aisle and block one’s vision of baggage in the overhead compartment. It was only when we got to Venice that, with an instantaneously alarked understanding of what had happened, I found my backpack gone.

We rushed around trying to find it, but it was gone. I had an Air Tag inside and it revealed the bag was in a suburb of Bologna, 90 kilometers away. We rushed to the police station at the train station and were met, I would have to say, with weariness. The discovery that we could pinpoint where the bag now was made them perk up, but after filling out a report, I was told there was nothing that could be done. They said they contacted the Bologna police but, yeah.

What had been planned as a photography adventure in Venice had turned into a nightmare. Besides my cameras and lenses, the thieves got away with my passport, MacBook Pro, Apple Watch, $300 — and my external hard drive on which all my photos are kept. Yes, I have a hard drive in the states with all the photos taken before going to Italy, and yes, my photos are backed up to the cloud everytime the MacBook is switched on. But as of that moment — as of now, as I await the arrival of a new MacBook — I still don’t know the status of my photos.

i am insured and, after a painful deductible — $14,800 — I *should* have my claim honored by my insurer. And, happily, the incredibly helpful Ryiuchi Watanabe, proprietor of Milan’s New Old Camera overnighted me an M11-P and a used 35mm Summilux-SL FLE so at least I had a camera and lens for Venice. But what a frickin’ nightmare

At the US Consulate in Milan, where I went to get an emergency passport, there were literally 8 others there who’d lost their possessions on one train or another. The Consul knew exactly the MO of the gang that stole my bag and, being sympathetic and helpful, reassured me that this is a situation he sees multiple times a day, five days a week. When I told him the circumstances, he said the guy who opened the doors for my wife and me was reporting to his confederates exactly what train we were getting on, and so they were ready.

There are dozens of lessons learned from all of this — about not letting your camera bag be separated from your body for even a moment, about keeping your external HD separate from your gear, etc. But the biggest lesson learned that Italian train rides carry an enormous risk of your gear being stolen. There’s nothing anyone can say that will make me feel better or worse about what happened. It is what it is. I’m dealing with it. I regret my laxity, and have replayed the scene 1000 times since November 4th. I have learned a lot. I pray my insurer doesn’t choke on the costs of Leica products. I’ve reported all this as a warning to those who intend on taking their gear along on a future trip to Italy.

PS — Leica Italy now have a copy of the police report and the serial numbers of my gear, and are putting out the word across Italy to camera stores to be on the lookout.

[Leicalook]

No words can change anything...

😢 

[setuporg]

I wonder whether hiring private security and going to the dot could have helped.

[Jeff S]

Sorry to hear about this.  Another possible lesson is to find better insurance. Mine has no deductible and full replacement value. There are options here in the US, John.

Jeff

[jaapv]

Very sorry for your loss, but this could have happened anywhere in the world.

[stephan54]

The insurance company might not pay out or only partially because they could argue that with having put the backpack a few metres away from you, you made it easy for the thieves. Do not get me wrong, I am very sorry to read your story. I had my D300 and five lenses stolen from my rental car when I was concentrating on parking in a tight spot near Matera/Italy. My insurance did not pay out a penny.

 

 

 

[Jeff S]

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22 minutes ago, stephan54 said:

The insurance company might not pay out or only partially because they could argue that with having put the backpack a few metres away from you, you made it easy for the thieves. Do not get me wrong, I am very sorry to read your story. I had my D300 and five lenses stolen from my rental car when I was concentrating on parking in a tight spot near Matera/Italy. My insurance did not pay out a penny.

 

 

 

No problem with an excellent company and policy. Mine ignores my own negligence in case of damage or loss.  I use the same policy for other listed valuables. Payment was quick and seamless, for instance, for a claim related to an expensive photo print that was damaged during a house move.  They not only paid full value, but allowed me to keep or sell the damaged print at my discretion.

Jeff

[vidya46]

So sorry to hear this..Personally the loss of my hard drive or sd cards would be crippling ..Of course the gear and money is a biggie too.. Other please share the insurance company you have worked with . I am going on a trip to Sydney and this has me worried 

Regards

[robert blu]

Very sorry for what happened to you. Thanks for sharing with us, many lessons to learn. Unfortunately these gangs are "professional" and they know how to create accidents to distract people. And yes, Ryiuchi Watanabe, is a very good man always ready to help anyone else in need.

[gbealnz]

4 hours ago, robert blu said:

Very sorry for what happened to you. And yes, Ryiuchi Watanabe, is a very good man always ready to help anyone else in need.

He is, and last time you took me there I came away with a 503CXi and CF120 Planar, great store, Claudio was fantastic. Can't wait to get back.

[Steve Ash]

Am 15.11.2024 um 21:24 schrieb jaapv:

Very sorry for your loss, but this could have happened anywhere in the world.

It happens in many touristic places.True. But there are countries with evidently higher risks than other. And some have very low risks of theft. Japan for example. To have a first idea of the prevailing risks in a foreign country follow the advices of your countries foreign affairs website. It also guides you to be aware of other risks.Relativization willl not help.

[robert blu]

14 hours ago, gbealnz said:

He is, and last time you took me there I came away with a 503CXi and CF120 Planar, great store, Claudio was fantastic. Can't wait to get back.

 A dear expensive man 🙂

PS: not sure how it can be translated in english but in the italian language for dear and expensive we use the same word : caro!

 

Edited December 22, 2024 by robert blu

[jjroroek]

On 11/15/2024 at 9:24 PM, jaapv said:

Very sorry for your loss, but this could have happened anywhere in the world.

no not in japan........once i forgot my Leica  m10 on a picknick table outside in a park. 45 minutes later i returned and my camera was still there garded by a man who was waiting on my return . in several asian countries its similar  ( japan, china, maleisia) but not so extreme as in Japan. you they will never rob you there

Edited January 16 by jjroroek