Stole memory card from my camera?

In summary: I'm pretty sure I was able to get the pictures off of it (eventually), but I had to tape the card together to do so.In summary, the conversation revolves around the speaker's missing SD card from their camera at a conference. They discuss the two possibilities of either removing the card themselves or someone stealing it. They also mention the possibility of the card being misplaced or forgotten, as well as the potential for it to have been caught on camera. The conversation also touches on the cost of SD cards and the fragility of the speaker's particular card.
  • #1
DaveC426913
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stole memory card from my camera??

I've been working tech support at a conference all weekend.

I went to use my camera this morning and found the SD card missing.

I know that, when I took 50 pix the day before the conference, the card was in there (I would not have been able to take pix or play them back without it). The card walked away sometime between Friday evening and Monday morning.

There are only two possibilities:

1] I removed the card myself for some completely unknown reason.
2] Someone (a woman - I was the only man within 200 yards of the con) removed the card from my camera (replacing the camera) when I left my pouch unattended.

Both of these are unfathomable. I'm hoping to pare it down from two to one possibility. Has anyone heard of a precedent for theft of a memory card?
 
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  • #2


DaveC426913 said:
I've been working tech support at a conference all weekend.

I went to use my camera this morning and found the SD card missing.

I know that, when I took 50 pix the day before the conference, the card was in there (I would not have been able to take pix or play them back without it). The card walked away sometime between Friday evening and Monday morning.

There are only two possibilities:

1] I removed the card myself for some completely unknown reason.
2] Someone (a woman - I was the only man within 200 yards of the con) removed the card from my camera (replacing the camera) when I left my pouch unattended.

Both of these are unfathomable. I'm hoping to pare it down from two to one possibility. Has anyone heard of a precedent for theft of a memory card?
Dishonest people are everywhere.
 
  • #3


DaveC426913 said:
I've been working tech support at a conference all weekend.

I went to use my camera this morning and found the SD card missing.

I know that, when I took 50 pix the day before the conference, the card was in there (I would not have been able to take pix or play them back without it). The card walked away sometime between Friday evening and Monday morning.

There are only two possibilities:

1] I removed the card myself for some completely unknown reason.
2] Someone (a woman - I was the only man within 200 yards of the con) removed the card from my camera (replacing the camera) when I left my pouch unattended.

Both of these are unfathomable. I'm hoping to pare it down from two to one possibility. Has anyone heard of a precedent for theft of a memory card?

Are you absolutely sure that your camera doesn't have on-board memory? I ask because my camera does, and I didn't know it until I took some pictures without a card inserted. I don't think I'd be able to fit 50 pictures on it, but it does have some storage. I have to use the camera's menu system to access them, as well; it doesn't automatically load the pictures stored in "flash."
 
  • #4


I've heard of a camera charger being stolen. The funny part is that the charger was attached to an electrical cord and was wrapped in a grocery bag, and was last put in a pocket of a travel suitcase. The charger went missing, but the electrical cord was still wrapped in the grocery bag and was in the suitcase.

I guess if something is small, it's easier to steal. In addition, if someone would steal the whole camera, then the chances of you reporting it is higher than if something more subtle was stolen and it's not worth to report.
 
  • #5


Sounds plausible to me, for the reasons waht stated. Memory cards aren't all that cheap, but they are small and easy to walk off with without anyone noticing.

Of course, there's also the possibility you left it in your computer when uploading photos, or it's tucked somewhere in your computer bag or camera bag for some reason.

If those blackmail photos of you with your girlfriend show up on the internet, we'll know what happened to it. :biggrin:
 
  • #6


perhaps you are a spy whose efforts have been thwarted, hmmm...
 
  • #7


DaveC426913 said:
I've been working tech support at a conference all weekend.

I went to use my camera this morning and found the SD card missing.

I know that, when I took 50 pix the day before the conference, the card was in there (I would not have been able to take pix or play them back without it). The card walked away sometime between Friday evening and Monday morning.

There are only two possibilities:

1] I removed the card myself for some completely unknown reason.
2] Someone (a woman - I was the only man within 200 yards of the con) removed the card from my camera (replacing the camera) when I left my pouch unattended.

Both of these are unfathomable. I'm hoping to pare it down from two to one possibility. Has anyone heard of a precedent for theft of a memory card?

Hey wait a minute...why were you the only man within 200 yards of the con (do you mean conference?) Just what sort of conference was this?
 
  • #8


I also have a camera that occasionally has had trouble detecting the card and so acted like it wasn't there even when it was.
 
  • #9


1. SD cards are not expensive (5-20$).
2. My camera can take 11 pictures without SD card
3. I never know if my camera has SD card/not unless I look at the capacity of pictures my camera can take
4. If you don't remember inserting SD card into the camera there is good likelihood that it was not there
5. The place might be under a cam surveillance
 
  • #10


I don't know about your 4., rootx, because I rarely remove my SD card from my camera, because the things are fragile beyond belief. I used to take my card in and out of my camera and put it in the slot in my comp to download the pictures. After only a couple of months (and not an excessive amount of removal and reinserting) of owning the card, it split into two pieces. And I'm careful and gentle with stuff. This thing just let go into two plastic wafers. Now I exclusively use the cord to connect to my computer.

So I always know the card is in my camera, because I don't take it out.

Dave, you didn't take the camera home with you during the evenings? And, if so, could someone at your house have removed it? Are you not recalling having removed it and didn't put it back in?

I can't think of a good reason why anyone would steal an SD card from a random camera. They're not expensive, and what are the odds that someone you don't know is going to have pictures that interest you on their card? Unless, I don't know, the conference was held someplace far away from any available shopping, someone forgot their SD card and swiped yours so they could take pictures? Maybe? They're fairly universal, so, that could be a plausible reason to steal one, I guess.

Edited to add: Sorry, Dave. That sucks. I hope you'd downloaded all of the pictures on your camera prior to the card missing.
 
  • #11


GeorginaS said:
I rarely remove my SD card from my camera, because the things are fragile beyond belief. I used to take my card in and out of my camera and put it in the slot in my comp to download the pictures. After only a couple of months (and not an excessive amount of removal and reinserting) of owning the card, it split into two pieces. And I'm careful and gentle with stuff. This thing just let go into two plastic wafers. Now I exclusively use the cord to connect to my computer.
Wow, I've never heard of one splitting - since I got a laptop with a built-in card reader, I always take it out (I hate having to keep around the proprietary USB cable). I've got a few little old cards lying around - I think I'll snap one in half to see just how fragile it really is.
 
  • #12


sounds like a manufacturing defect, like the clamshell pieces were not welded together properly. if the electrical part is still intact, i bet you could just glue it back together.
 
  • #13


Russ, it came apart the way Proton Soup described it: the clamshell halves let go. That was the first card I'd taken in and out of my camera, regularly, so I assumed that was the state of them. Now that you point it out, maybe that's not the usual circumstance. I was leery to try the next one I'd purchased to see if it would come apart as easily.

It wasn't the replacement cost that was an issue, it was the potential of not having all of my photos off of the card when it gave way. I was lucky in that respect in that instance.

Proton, I hadn't thought of gluing it back together. The electrical part was entirely intact. It's all stuck to one side of the card's interior. The other side is simply a plastic cover. I had all of my pictures off of the card, so I threw it out. If it ever happens again, I'll try gluing it back together and see if that works. Thanks for the idea.
 
  • #14
Dembadon said:
Are you absolutely sure that your camera doesn't have on-board memory?
I just checked. No. If I take a picture sans chip, I cannot turn around and view that picture. Since my wife (bless her fine memory) pointed out that I really did review at least one picture (an elk buck and doe blithely meandering through a busy neighbourhood in downtown Banff), that is conclusive that the chip was in there.

Moonbear said:
... they are small and easy to walk off with without anyone noticing.
They would have had to pull the camera out of its velcroed pocket in my murse, open the camera, remove the card (ignoring the $80 battery), close it, and return it to my murse. All in a room full of people.

Moonbear said:
Of course, there's also the possibility you left it in your computer when uploading photos, or it's tucked somewhere in your computer bag or camera bag for some reason.
This is the most likely - and most unfathomable - possibility.

I did not have my computer (http://davesbrain.livejournal.com/tag/dell".) so I don't know where I would have tried to view my pix - except on one of the other three laptops I had to wrangle over the weekend. Without a way or reason to view them, I would never even have had reason to take the chip out at all.

And what really alarms me about this option is that it means I competely forgot I did this at all. And that's frightening.


I have checked the top most likely places where I should have / would have put the chip (micro-electronics pocket in murse, electronics bag in luggage, etc.) No joy.

lisab said:
Hey wait a minute...why were you the only man within 200 yards of the con (do you mean conference?) Just what sort of conference was this?
http://www.cappacanada.ca/Conference2010.html"
They have little money, and so take down any volunteers - including the hapless slow-moving husbands of the directors.

I was literally the only man in the entire room of 200. Thankfully, most women there were older or I think my cycle would have begun to sync with the room...

But, this also works to vindicate them. As a close-knit group of "tenders and befrienders" they are virtually above suspicion.

GeorginaS said:
Dave, you didn't take the camera home with you during the evenings? And, if so, could someone at your house have removed it? Are you not recalling having removed it and didn't put it back in?
I always have my camera in my murse. Murse goes with me everywhere. It was hung under my chair at the con. Home is a room on the 9th floor. Just me and my wife - and she would not touch the camera even if a gun were pointed at her head.

Upshot:
- a nurse/doula/childbirth educator pinched it (2.5%)
- a hotel staff pinched it (2.5%)
- I removed it myself (95%)
 
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  • #15


Mybe someone was there with a girlfriend/boyfriend and were afraid you might have accidently taken a picture of them together and it might get posted online in relation to the conference, so they took the card.
 
  • #16


Evo said:
Mybe someone was there with a girlfriend/boyfriend and were afraid you might have accidently taken a picture of them together and it might get posted online in relation to the conference, so they took the card.

Hey, that's not bad!
 
  • #17


Maybe someone had an identical camera, took the card out for some reason and now she's wondering, what are all these pix on my card?

Is there a place you can post a lost-and-found message?
 
  • #18


Evo said:
Mybe someone was there with a girlfriend/boyfriend and were afraid you might have accidently taken a picture of them together and it might get posted online in relation to the conference, so they took the card.

If Dave was the only male, it's a girlfriend...:eek:
 
  • #19


Evo said:
Mybe someone was there with a girlfriend/boyfriend and were afraid you might have accidently taken a picture of them together and it might get posted online in relation to the conference, so they took the card.

An interesting theory.

What I didn't tell you is that the fact that I videotaped the entire conference on a camcorder from stage centre. They were all asked to sign a release form allowing us to do so.
 
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  • #20


DaveC426913 said:
An interesting theory.

What I didn't tell you is that the fact that I videotaped the entire conference from stage centre. They were all asked to sign a release form allowing us to do so.
AHA! So it was to cover up a clandestine affair, possibly even a murder plot! You foiled them and the only thing they could think to do was to try to steal the photogrpahic evidence! Refusing to sign a waiver would have pointed the finger at them. MUWAHAHA!

Curioser and curioser!

Dave, if you find the disc, PM me, I'll pay you $20 not to ruin my theory.
 
  • #21


Drat, and I would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for Evo!
 
  • #22


lisab said:
Maybe someone had an identical camera, took the card out for some reason and now she's wondering, what are all these pix on my card?

Is there a place you can post a lost-and-found message?

Except that I never even took my camera out of my murse the whole conference...



I plan to send out a query to the hotel, to the car rental and to every attendee whose laptop I handled.
 
  • #23


Hurkyl said:
Drat, and I would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for Evo!
Hah! Colonel Hurkyl, in the dining room, with the candlesticks!

It really is quite bizarre Dave. Even if you accidently opened the "door" to the disc, those don't just fall out. I can't imagine you just removing it and not remembering either.
 
  • #24


I think it's due to quantum tunneling.

It could happen, people!

Either that or I've spent too much time reading the Quantum Physics forum. Nah... Tunneling.
 
  • #25


I would like to lay claim to having pick-pocketed you during our meeting at Ducks, just as an irritant, but I'm really not that skillful. :biggrin:
 
  • #26
Maybe Dave just isn't very good at searching for lost objects. Here, this will help:

How to Find Lost Objects

Or, perhaps taking a course on finding lost objects would help you: http://www.superlifecatalog.com/solutions/remote-viewing-training/remote-viewing-find-lost-objects.html . Unfortunately, there's prerequisites for this course, so it may take you a while to find your memory card. But the investment will still be very valuable for finding future lost objects.

Here's how the professionals do it when searching for lost objects. In this case, the Air Force was searching for a lost hydrogen bomb. http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/wstromq1/stat61/SearchTalk.ppt.
 
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  • #27


Danger said:
I would like to lay claim to having pick-pocketed you during our meeting at Ducks, just as an irritant, but I'm really not that skillful. :biggrin:

Ha ha. That's actually one of the more possible theories. All my pix were taken Friday and we met up that night, and the next time I pulled out my camera, the chip was gone.

Hmm.
 
  • #28


Found it!

One of the client laptops I was responsible for had it in its slot.

I'm not sure I'm any more relieved. Even knowing that it was me, and what I actually did to misplace it, does not bring back any memory of doing it.

Now I've just got to get it back...
 
  • #29


I'm glad that you found your chip, Dave. Now, we just have to work on where the rest of your mind went... :biggrin:
 
  • #30


Could the "aftershock" have anything to with this? :biggrin:
 
  • #31


DaveC426913 said:
Found it!

Your welcome. I'd have returned it sooner, but my transporter was malfunctioning.
 
  • #32


Monique said:
Could the "aftershock" have anything to with this? :biggrin:

You know... as I start piecing together the order of events for the weekend...
hmm.
 
  • #33


mugaliens said:
Your welcome. I'd have returned it sooner, but my transporter was malfunctioning.

Goddidit
 
  • #34


Upisoft said:
Goddidit

I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I've already been ruled out as the culprit.
 

FAQ: Stole memory card from my camera?

Can I recover the data from a stolen memory card?

It is possible to recover data from a stolen memory card, but it depends on the circumstances. If the memory card is still intact and has not been damaged or overwritten, data recovery may be possible. However, if the memory card has been damaged or the data has been overwritten, it may not be possible to recover the data.

How can I prevent someone from accessing the data on my stolen memory card?

If your memory card has been stolen, the best way to prevent someone from accessing the data is to immediately change any passwords or security codes associated with the device or accounts the memory card was used with. You can also contact the manufacturer of the memory card to see if they offer any security features or remote data wiping options.

Is it illegal to steal a memory card?

Yes, stealing a memory card is considered theft and is illegal. It is important to report the theft to the authorities and provide any evidence or information you have about the stolen memory card.

Can I track the location of my stolen memory card?

Unfortunately, memory cards do not have built-in tracking capabilities. However, if the memory card was used in a device with tracking features, such as a smartphone or camera, you may be able to track the location of the device. You can also contact the manufacturer of the memory card to see if they have any tracking options available.

What should I do if I suspect my memory card has been stolen?

If you suspect your memory card has been stolen, it is important to take immediate action. First, try to locate the memory card and verify that it is indeed missing. Then, report the theft to the authorities and provide any evidence or information you have. You should also change any passwords or security codes associated with the device or accounts the memory card was used with to prevent unauthorized access.

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