Gone - Astro Rig Stolen :mad2:

[CoffeeDreams]

After one year of getting into AP....

Learning Astronomy, learning photography, and learning processing & photoshop...

Most of my gear (similar to the pictured configuration) was stolen last Sunday 8th May in Subiaco - Perth.

Stupidly, I left much of the equipment unattended for half an hour, and on my return.....it was all gone without a trace..

Unfortunately none of this stuff was covered by insurance, so....I'm kind of out of action for some time I suppose.

The stolen gear included;
- SkyWatcher HEQ5 Pro mount, a rather unique one with:
- Red Prima Luce Labs saddle
- Rowan Belt mod
- William Optics RedCat telescope
- ZWO 294 camera
- Battery etc...

Truly a sh*tty situation - I've tried reaching out to the nearby businesses where I live and I have some CCTV footage of the likely person who took this kit.

Moral of the story is....please AirTag all of your devices, or at least keep them secure, not like me.

[SB]

Hi Alex,
Sorry to hear that has happened to you. How very disappointing! Did you report it to the Cops with the CCTV footage.

Hope you get it back. BTW - good idea re the Airtag.

SB

[AstroViking]

That sucks so very much. I hope the cops have enough info to go with and catch them.

Also, would it be worth contacting all the CashConvertor places in town? The scumbag(s) might try to offload it there.

Maybe keep an eye on Gumtree and the like, too.

[Dave882]

Damn…so sorry for you mate that sucks

[RyanJones]

That’s horrible to hear Alex.

Sometimes experiences like this can dishearten you and cause you to loose interest. I used to customize cars as part of my work until one of my projects got stolen ( customers car, not even mine or in my possession at the time ) I’ve not done another one for anyone since. I wish my passion for it hadn’t been stolen at the same time. Try not to let that happen to you and I hope that one way or another you can get your gear back.

Cheers
Ryan

[glend]

Chances are the thief knows nothing about what he has, so selling it might be difficult. In the old days there were always a shady character at the pub with stuff in his trunk, but it was stuff that could be moved easily.
We should all keep a look out, both here in the classified ads, and in places like Gumtree, eBay, Facebook Market, etc.
Importantly, file a police report and give them the photos of the gear you lost.
Good luck.

[leon]

Alex that is so bad, and I feel for you, it is usually a opportunistic grab for some quick cash, and the people/person responsible will just try and flog it for a few dollars.

I can imaging you are devastated, I am so sorry to hear of this.

Hope you get lucky and get it back, stay positive mate.

Leon

[By.Jove]

Check the pawnbrokers and cash-converters nearby...

[JA]

Hi Alex,
Sorry to hear about the theft. I hope you catch a break and get it back.

Best
JA

[DarkArts]

Sorry to hear thieves got your gear. Hanging's too good for them! :evil2:

I simply don't leave my gear outside, even in a secluded backyard ... though that may have something to do with my neighbours (one of whom has neck tattoos) having been visited by police several times. And this is suposed to be a nice neighbourhood. :confuse3:

[fsphotography]

Oh no! one of the people at my bank has a neck tattoo,is my money safe?


Frank.:rofl:

[MortonH]

Where was the equipment left unattended? In your back yard? A public place?

[SB]

I think Alex’s idea of using an AirTag is great.

Any other ideas on this forum on how to safeguard expensive astro kit?

SB

[DarkArts]

You may laugh but it's the behaviour (e.g. violence, much loud swearing), police visits and arrests that mainly concern me. The neck tattoos just complete the impression.

[fsphotography]

I think i got the right impression,and no i don't have neck tattoos.


Frank.:)

[Crater101]

Really sorry to hear about this Alex. I'd be feeling the same way.



AirTag is great, but something as simple as writing down serial & model numbers, and taking a photo of the gear itself, can be a help in getting it back. It's not a guarantee, but at least if there are records and a photo it identifies it more readily to people who don't know about the gear.



As I understand how most second hand dealer / pawnbrokers / cash converters work, if you see it in a store, you can get them to place a hold on it until such time as the ownership can be determined.As to things like eBay, GumTree, etc., it's a case of keeping a careful lookout.



Regardless, let the cops know. They often have a good idea of who the local crooks are, and often the bad guys brag to one another. Word might get around.


Good luck mate, and I hope we read a post about you getting the gear back sooner rather than later.