A Canadian movie crew was robbed at gunpoint in broad daylight at San Francisco’s Twin Peaks car parking zone on Friday. A gaggle of attackers took their cameras and pictures and, in a video, one might be seen pistol-whipping a sufferer.
In line with NBC Bay Space Information, police are investigating the incident which happened Friday night. The encounter was captured on video and posted on Instagram and Twitter. One account that shared the video claims the crew of three Canadian filmmakers misplaced $35,000 price of digital camera tools and all of their footage because of the theft.
At the start of the video, one of many robbers might be seen brandishing a handgun and pistol-whipping one of many victims behind the top as his accomplices rapidly take the tools out of the again of the crew’s SUV and cargo it into their automobile.
Through the 49-second video, the robbers’ license plate is clearly seen which ought to assist of their arrest, however police haven’t commented on the continuing investigation aside from they’re conscious of the encounter and has requested anybody with data to name the division at 415-574-444 or textual content them at “TIP411.”
Twin Peaks is Rife with Theft
Twin Peaks is a notoriously harmful space for photographers and filmmakers. Native crews which might be employed to shoot footage from the realm, which has among the finest views of downtown San Francisco and practically the whole size of Market Road, typically rent safety groups with a view to guarantee their security. Nonetheless, that’s generally not sufficient as one information crew’s safety guard was shot and killed throughout an altercation within the Bay Space final November.
Final 12 months, a neighborhood information crew was robbed whereas filming an interview about robberies in Twin Peaks.
NBC spoke with Kenan Al-Bardan, a Chicago vacationer visiting Twin Peaks throughout the time of the theft, who stated that he’s nicely conscious of the fame of the realm.
“My good friend acquired a automobile and we don’t go away something within the automobile, for certain,” he stated. “I don’t maintain money. I don’t have a automobile. I’m a vacationer and attempt to take public transportation.”
Twin Peaks resident Juviel Vinluan advised NBC that the realm is a continuing drawback.
“You simply by no means know who’s lurking round, particularly up right here,” Vinlaun stated, and advised reporters that she by no means leaves something in her automobile, one thing her roommate discovered the laborious manner.
“Her window acquired smashed proper there over by the car parking zone. Be actually cautious out right here. You by no means know what you’re going to get.”
Digital camera Corporations Referred to as to Make Modifications
It’s not simply Twin Peaks, however the entirety of the Bay Space has confirmed harmful for photographers and movie crews. PetaPixel contributor Jefferson Graham was robbed in San Francisco whereas filming a spot final 12 months. Photographers had been robbed whereas caught in visitors, a photographer was shot by robbers after refusing to surrender her digital camera, and final October a photographer was adopted house and robbed of his gear at gunpoint after photographing the Golden Gate bridge. In December, a photographer for the San Francisco Chronicle was robbed at gunpoint in Oakland.
With robberies so widespread and with assaults changing into extra brazen, many have referred to as on digital camera firms so as to add some stage of safety to their merchandise.
One other photographer robbed at gunpoint: https://t.co/TGS2vEwSqS
Each smartphone has anti-theft, why will not digital camera producers give us the OPTION?
Why will not they even discuss to us about it?@CanonUSA @SonyAlpha @NikonUSA @LumixUSA @FujifilmX_US
— Tony Northrup (@tonynorthrup) March 28, 2022
“Each smartphone has anti-theft, why received’t digital camera producers give us the choice?” photographer and YouTuber Tony Northrup tweeted in response to this newest assault. “Why received’t they even discuss to us about it?”
There have been a number of calls to safe cameras with some type of anti-theft system in current months, however no main producers have publicly responded to the requests.
Alice Digital camera, the corporate behind the AI and deep-learning digital camera system that was efficiently crowdfunded final 12 months, says it’s “trying into” such a characteristic. However till that occurs, cameras will stay probably the most high-value merchandise that may simply be stolen and rapidly flipped.
Picture credit: Nonetheless body from video by JamesSaitSurin.
