Photographer Shares How He Recovered $25K Worth of Gear

Photographer Shares How He Recovered $25K Worth of Stolen Gear Thanks to AirTags

By Regina Sienra on August 20, 2024

Photo: belchonock/Depositphotos (Not a photo of the actual stolen photography gear.)

Few things keep photographers up at night as the idea of losing their gear. Not only are cameras and accessories expensive, but they’re also their work tools. Many photographers even depend on their equipment for their livelihood. That's why, when Benj Haisch had his bag stolen during a trip to Denmark, he sprinted into action, determined to recover his precious equipment.

Haisch, who was on a family trip when disaster hit, recounted his experience in a video. After a detour to the apartment he was staying at with his kids, he panicked when he realized he had left his bag unattended in a bike buggy. In a few moments, it was gone. Inside were a Sony a9 III, a Hasselblad 907X with the CFV 100c back, a Leica 50mm Summilux, and various other accessories—altogether worth over $27,000.

The photographer then remembered he had an AirTag stashed on his a9, which said the bag was only a few miles away. Not wasting a single moment, he put on his Meta Ray-Bans and went out to confront the thieves, recording the tense interaction to get his equipment back. As he walked around after tracking the camera, he spotted the bag in possession of a couple of men.

Luckily, things never escalated, as Haisch's calmness helped him navigate the tricky situation. “I had caught them off guard without being threatening,” Haisch explains. “It never turned into anything more than a simple argument about how I can get this bag back.”

While everything had been smooth, one of the man's friends told him to ask Haisch for money. In the end, he had to give the thief 200 danish krone, approximately $28—something the photographer knows wasn't fair.

“At that point, I have a decision to make,” says Haisch. “Should I continue to escalate the situation or should I unjustly give this guy the equivalent of $28?”

Ultimately, Haisch recovered his equipment. But he still doesn't recommend doing it, crediting the success of the mission to his big build and confidence, as well as it all happening in broad daylight and in a very busy area. But what he does endorse is the use of AirTags in valuable equipment.

Haisch has previously recorded tutorials about how to incorporate AirTags in a camera—rather than in a bag that can just be tossed away. Still, should you ever find yourself in a similar situation, be mindful of your safety before walking into danger.