Being a photographer in the Bay Area, it was hard to not hear the news about the sophisticated break in last week at Mac House Productions. Not once, but twice in the same night, two buglers broke into the Mac House warehouse building, making off with over $150,000 worth of equipment. Now, as the dust begins to settle, it turns out Mac House wasn't the only local business targeted. And a haul worth ten times as much was just around the corner.
Like Mac House Productions, Black Magic Design, makers incredible cinema cameras, have their United States office and distribution center in the Bay Area city of Fremont. Two days after the Mac House heist, someone pried open the doors to an electrical room at the Black Magic campus. They proceeded to cut all phone, security, and internet lines, leaving them free reign to the expansive gear warehouse. When all was said and done, Black Magic reports that the thieves made off with over 350 cameras and computers, valuing the loss at almost $1.5 million dollars.
Also hit was Core Microsystems, where two men in their early to mid 20's gained entry through a back door. They were wearing hoodies and bandannas. The business is reporting that about $170,000 worth of video and camera equipment was stolen.
These small businesses are devastated, and these burglaries are already having a big effect on them. Viet Mac, owner of Mac House Productions, has had to max out his credit cards to replace the stolen equipment. While police have yet to link all three heists, it's hard not to assume all three were pulled off by the same two men. Above, you will see the surveillance video from Mac House Productions. Please watch this video, and report any information you may have to the local investigators. You can call Fremont Police at 510-790-6800 or the anonymous tip line at 510-494-4856.
As fellow artists, let's do our part to help bring these criminals to justice, and get these businesses their valuable gear back.
[Via Video & Filmmaker]
I really hope they catch these crooks. Makes me sick to watch. Though I did get something out of it. Going to invest in some "Dropcams" thanks to the watermark.
I agree, makes me sick to see this.
best to have some security cameras that could possibility capture license plates outside with motion sensing lights
hope his insurance covers everything
What type of security (besides cameras of course) were in place? even with power/phone?internet lines cut many systems still sound and notify police. We were broken into and lost a lot of equipment, which insurance barely covered 1/10th of the cost.
1/10th? Ouch :( That sucks. Sorry to hear that Scott.
That's pretty shameless, anyone pulling that kind of a heist knows they're on camera. I'll have to assume these guys are properly insured, so they're at least covered, but any work that may have been in storage is gone. Certainly some down time too.
Ahh, that's brutal and exceptionally painful to watch. Hindsight sucks, but I sat there thinking how different it could have been with a simple building alarm. They definitely wouldn't have been walking around at such leisure, or may have run off entirely. I hope it all pans out and that the insurance company is fair on the loss.
Where are the descriptions and serial nos published ? There's a vibrant international trade in stolen photo equipment but nowhere to check out if stuff is stolen.
...and this is why my house is has more surveillance cameras than some banks. I hope the thieves get shot by the Police.
just got my gear stolen too, so i know how they feel. did they ever recover the gear or catch the thieves?