How do you protect your equipment against theft?

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I try to keep my gear with me as much as possible. I generally put out the do-not-disturb sign on my door when staying in a hotel/lodge, as I usually leave my laptop and sometimes a lens or two that I do not need out with me for the day. If I leave something behind for the day, I'd generally prefer to leave it in my hotel/lodge room and not in a vehicle. I put stuff in the safe in my room if there is one, to the extent that it fits.

I also have insurance on my gear that would replace it if stolen. I keep an SSD with a up-to-date backup of my photos from a trip with me, in case my laptop or other gear is stolen from my room.
 
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I don't do anything particular other than make efforts to be as inconspicuous as possible. Basic bag with no huge logos on it with brand names that will stand out to a layman who might be interested in taking my gear. Stuff like using the OEM camera straps that have the branding in big bold colours and letters are something which I never use. Additionally as a precautionary measure I'd suggest marking down serial numbers for all of your gear, in the event that they are lost, stolen, destroyed, abducted by aliens, etc. that will be a very useful thing for you to have, especially if its a case where police might be able to locate your gear, having that number marked down will help them be able to know it belongs to you and hopefully return it.
 
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I had been spending $2,000 each year for insurance but I decided that it was not a good return on my investment and changed my approach. I have different approaches depending on the level of risk and what gear I am taking to a location.

For areas in the USA where I drive with my pickup truck I have a two-drawer strongbox in the bed and it cannot be seen with the black curtains covering the windows of the fiberglass camper shell. A thief would need to attempt to break into the cab and unlock the tailgate and then face the tumbler locks on each drawer. I take the out of sight out of mind approach. This works well at trailheads or parking areas where a thief knows that a person leaving a vehicle is going to be away for an hour or for hours.

For short trips to a location I like to use a "pet bridge" that attaches to the front and rear seat headrests in the cab of the truck. This blocks from view anything on the floor of the cab and also makes a good shelf for coats and anything else. When we are taking backpacks with a single lens and camera this approach works very well.

For overseas travel I take a large Air Pelican case filled with our clothing for the flights and when we arrive at our first destination I transfer the clothing to duffle bags and then use the Pelican case as a strongbox for the room. Any thief would need to have a bolt cutter for the two locks or grab the entire case and run off with it. During the day we take our backpacks into any restaurant we might eat at.

The cargo box cost roughly $1,800 or about the cost of one year of photo gear insurance. It protects gear from theft but also from the elements and road dirt and dust.

The cargo two-drawer unit is held in place with 4 turnbuckles and so can be removed when not needed for travel. A problem I encountered with my SUV vehicles is that the strong boxes were designed to be bolted to the floor for permanent installations in law enforcement vehicles which negated my use of the cargo areas for other purposes. With the SUV the pet bridge was helpful but not a thief-proof soltuion.

Prt of my cost benefit logic is having gear stolem during a trip and even if covered by insurance I still lose the use of the equipment for the remainder of my trip. I look at the total cost of the trip and include air travel, car rental, lodging, guide fees, and food for the trip to have a total cost per day. Loss of a camera and super telephoto lens could result in thousands lost in travel costs for a trip.

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All great advice in this thread!

When carrying photo gear to a wildlife area, I always try to "keep my head on a swivel" and stay alert to what's going on around me. If someone is eyeing me, I look right back at them and give a slight nod, indicating "I see you" and communicating awareness. Most thieves are cowards and seek easy theft opportunity, without confrontation. My philosophy is, to make myself not look like an easy target, and to eliminate (to the extent possible) their element of surprise in a robbery or assault.

The worst thing one can do is walk along, absorbed in one's phone, oblivious to one's surroundings.
 
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Charles Loy said:
Unlikely he/they will enter to rob you while you are home. Be it true, then yeah but consider that it will be murder
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Not necessarily Charles, Home invasion robberies have been increasing nationwide. And these criminals are armed and make demands at gunpoint or w/other weapons. You absolutely cannot use deadly force against an unarmed intruder that is not assaulting you. You will face criminal charges if you do. Home invasion robbery and burglary are two different things. You have the right to defend yourself against an armed intruder in your home. Each state may be slightly different. I have no idea where other countries draw the line. Drifted off topic here a bit but the questions came up… good advice has been given previously….be aware of what’s going on around you and avoid unwanted interactions with suspicious strangers.
 
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Larry S. said:
Not necessarily Charles, Home invasion robberies have been increasing nationwide. And these criminals are armed and make demands at gunpoint or w/other weapons. You absolutely cannot use deadly force against an unarmed intruder that is not assaulting you. You will face criminal charges if you do. Home invasion robbery and burglary are two different things. You have the right to defend yourself against an armed intruder in your home. Each state may be slightly different. I have no idea where other countries draw the line. Drifted off topic here a bit but the questions came up… good advice has been given previously….be aware of what’s going on around you and avoid unwanted interactions with suspicious strangers.
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Yes, my murder comment is meant to be - could/would you kill a person over a camera set. I'd die of guilt, maybe you would not.
 
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Charles Loy said:
Yes, my murder comment is meant to be - could/would you kill a person over a camera set. I'd die of guilt, maybe you would not.
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Of course not, the camera gear is insured but situations are seldom so clear cut. Would you expect someone who has proven his/her disrespect of the law to respect your life? How do you know how far they will go?
 
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PeggyBaker said:
Nothing against guns, but the OP was asking about protecting gear while traveling or away from home.
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Depends on where you travel. In Texas lethal force is authorized against someone committing theft at night. As a news photog I've covered many.

With the battery power tools so good even locked boxes can be breached. Really all you're trying to do is cost the thief time. Thats the one thing they don't have.

That said think about simple things. In my case there a $50K video camera in a cage in the back of an SUV in my driveway. The cage is good but with a drill, angle grinder etc it can be breached. However I back the car tight against the exterior wall of my home. This creates a whole new set of problems for the bad guy. Now he has to make entry to the car, figure out a way to move it and then attack the lock.

Think about simple thinks that makes the bad guy look for a softer target. Backing against a light pole or big bush cuts off rear access. A simple piece of paracord with a clip allows you to clip a bag to a table or chair while dining. If approached make eye contact and be ready to act. I've worked deep night for decades and been approached by hoodie man many times at a gas station. First thing I say (with meaning) is take your hands out of your pockets. They've never heard that except from law enforcement and most will go hands up!

At the end of the day you're gambling with a lot of expensive gear, stack the odds in your favor with simple acts. And yes if legal a hot lead dispenser is always a great idea!
 
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My typical approach is twofold - I want to avoid attracting attention to my gear both when the gear is in my car and when storing gear.

I keep my gear in the trunk of my car so it is out of sight. In my SUV, I try to make sure the gear is on the floor or in back and covered with clothing or other materials - and the windows are deeply tinted. I leave nothing of value visible in my vehicle and try to have a "clean car". I've seen people break into cars because a pillow looked like a purse, a trash bag looked like a computer bag, and a grocery bag looked like it had food rather than dirty clothing. You need to reduce or eliminate any value to a thief for breaking into your vehicle.

In the field, I only carry what I need and use. The rest is left locked safely in my trunk and not visible. I can always return to the car for a backup camera if needed so I rarely carry two cameras and a bunch of lenses. Of course, if I really intend to concurrently use two cameras, I carry them. I just try to avoid needlessly carrying lots of stuff. Carrying too much gear makes you a target and can reduce your awareness of surroundings.

I am very careful when loading my car and stowing my gear. I pay attention to people in the area and load quickly so gear is not visible for long - especially at popular locations. When leaving gear in my car for lunch or short stops, I make sure my gear is stowed before I arrive at my stopping point. I don't want anyone to see me storing a camera while in a restaurant parking lot so I might pull over a couple of miles away and stow all gear privately.

I avoid having visible camera labels - especially when traveling. I have a third party camera strap and avoid anything with a logo.

I normally bring gear into my hotel room at night. If I d not do that, I use the "clean car" rule and make sure nothing is visible that could attract a thief.

My gear is insured. The loss I am concerned about is a loss of my entire camera bag - multiple cameras and lenses. That's a $20,000 loss or more.
 
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