Saigon Warning for all photographers

[Expat yorkshire]

Just to let you know .

On Saturday at 8am on a bright sunny day I had my camera stolen. The first attempt was two guys on a motorbike grabbed the strap and tried to rip the camera from my hands. Luckily the strap broke . I thought thank god that was a lucky escape but as I was taking photographs later my the Notre Dame church they came again and this time ripped the camera from my hands midshot.

My 7d and beloved 24-70 L lens both gone forever.


I would advise all of you to be very careful when taking in district 1 when you are by the roadside near any motorbikes.


EPY

 

[eow]

was there a few week ago, a caucasian lady was robbed of the same way by 2 guys on the bike, a razor or blade was used to cut at the strap(based on my friend sighting)

 

[sachokphantom]

I do not know where is district 1 but Mine was also almost been snatch by them at backpacker area. I was about to hang it over my neck when the two guys on the motorbike ran past me and tried to but I was lucky I was hold it firm tight.

Just to let you know .

On Saturday at 8am on a bright sunny day I had my camera stolen. The first attempt was two guys on a motorbike grabbed the strap and tried to rip the camera from my hands. Luckily the strap broke . I thought thank god that was a lucky escape but as I was taking photographs later my the Notre Dame church they came again and this time ripped the camera from my hands midshot.

My 7d and beloved 24-70 L lens both gone forever.


I would advise all of you to be very careful when taking in district 1 when you are by the roadside near any motorbikes.


EPY

 

[surrephoto]

was there a few week ago, a caucasian lady was robbed of the same way by 2 guys on the bike, a razor or blade was used to cut at the strap(based on my friend sighting)

Main reason is because she was standing right beside the road and it was at the Ben Thanh market bus station...

I do not know where is district 1 but Mine was also almost been snatch by them at backpacker area. I was about to hang it over my neck when the two guys on the motorbike ran past me and tried to but I was lucky I was hold it firm tight.

When taking out camera or keeping camera, i'd suggest always sit down at a cafe or get as far away from the roadside as possible. And sling bag should always be infront of you. Saigon is becoming increasingly dangerous.

 

[eleveninth]

i wonder do they target dslrs only? What was the lady using.. Determines what camera i'd bring if i head there. If like super small like the nex5n hmmm

 

[petetherock]

Sorry to hear about your loss...
Welcome to the world outside Singapore... we are cloistered in Singapore and sometimes when we read about the posts asking about robbery and theft of items outside of Singapore, I am reminded of how little we know of the world outside, and your loss is a timely reminder to be careful. This also happens in Rome, Barcelona, and closer to home in JB too...

I hope you are insured.

 

[Expat yorkshire]

I do have some insurance but It will not cover my loss

I need to find some insurance that will cover my camera in the future.

 

[Expat yorkshire]

i wonder do they target dslrs only? What was the lady using.. Determines what camera i'd bring if i head there. If like super small like the nex5n hmmm

I would now not stand on the road side with dslr even though I have done so many time in the past

Maybe take a smaller camera

 

[eow]

was with my gf2 or nex5n during the trip quite safe

 

[diver-hloc]

Sorry for your loss TS... but I doubt you'll find the cost of insurance for your whole camera worth the $$$.

But thanks for the warning.... agree with others... Alot of time, S'porean are too used to the safety of S'pore for their own good... and it takes cases like yours to highlight that not everywhere in this world is as safe or orderly.

But hey... good excuse to get 5D MKIII now.... :bsmilie:

 

[sinned79]

hmm scary... guess i bring my cheapo film camera if i visit saigon someday!

 

[kineticworks]

Hope they will invent urban camo for DSLR next time At least it will confuse the robber...

 

[JohnJon82]

But hey... good excuse to get 5D MKIII now.... :bsmilie:

Hello 5D MKIII and 24-70 MK II

 

[meganut]

I was there earlier this month with a bunch of my friends... two of my friends (married couple) went for early morning breakfast at 7am next to the hotel, on the way back to the hotel they saw a lady got her necklace snatch from her neck, she was a local and her neck was bleeding and she ran into the hotel to seek first aid... that happen around 7.45am... wonder if its the same 2 buggers... District 1 as well

 

[TWmilkteaTW]

hvnt been to Saigon before. Thanks for the heads up though.. applies the same to many other places too..We just have to be very careful..also another good reason why i refuse to use a backpack to store my stuff..always had my sling bag infront of me. feels safer.

 

[yrh0413]

I almost being pick-pocket in Hanoi in Jan 2012... was lugging my Thinktank StreetWalker HD around after a tiring day (wanna find a place for dinner), and while I was walking through the busy streets I sense something is not right behind me so I paused and turned around to get my gf to check my bag.

To our horror she told me that the rear pocket was opened! I immediately ran to a corner beside the busy streets and examine what was stolen. Thank god everything is intact (my flight itinerary printout, some hotel cards etc). They had opened the front-most pockets (where I put my pen/ paper documents); had they opened the main camera compartment I would have lost all my camera gears.

All these happened when my stuff are all kept inside my TT HD.... I was not even holding my camera that time.

 

[meganut]

wahhhh thats sounds so scary..... thanks for sharing your story, this reminds me to bring a sling bag overseas going forward... thanks bro

I almost being pick-pocket in Hanoi in Jan 2012... was lugging my Thinktank StreetWalker HD around after a tiring day (wanna find a place for dinner), and while I was walking through the busy streets I sense something is not right behind me so I paused and turned around to get my gf to check my bag.

To our horror she told me that the rear pocket was opened! I immediately ran to a corner beside the busy streets and examine what was stolen. Thank god everything is intact (my flight itinerary printout, some hotel cards etc). They had opened the front-most pockets (where I put my pen/ paper documents); had they opened the main camera compartment I would have lost all my camera gears.

All these happened when my stuff are all kept inside my TT HD.... I was not even holding my camera that time.

 

[nightflower]

Sorry to hear about your case! But it is true that this happens anywhere in big cities across the world! Everything we got to do is to protect ourselves first!

 

[JohnJon82]

I almost being pick-pocket in Hanoi in Jan 2012... was lugging my Thinktank StreetWalker HD around after a tiring day (wanna find a place for dinner), and while I was walking through the busy streets I sense something is not right behind me so I paused and turned around to get my gf to check my bag.

To our horror she told me that the rear pocket was opened! I immediately ran to a corner beside the busy streets and examine what was stolen. Thank god everything is intact (my flight itinerary printout, some hotel cards etc). They had opened the front-most pockets (where I put my pen/ paper documents); had they opened the main camera compartment I would have lost all my camera gears.

All these happened when my stuff are all kept inside my TT HD.... I was not even holding my camera that time.

I always put a number padlock at TTSW HD main compartment zip when walking on crowded place, and put nothing in the front or side pocket. Safer this way, unless they cut thru bag. Backpack is an easy target for thief. Friend lost his passport (backpack is cut and passport stolen) when walking in shopping complex in JB and GF backpack was opened in KL's KTM but nothing stolen. I even padlock my backpack in plane's cabin if I plan to sleep in long haul flight. Paranoid :bsmilie:.

 

[1Ds]

time ripped the camera from my hands midshot.




Happen to me twenty years ago.