TV crew robbed

[Mike Stenson (RIP)]

TV crew robbed

Rustenburg - Burglars stole camera equipment worth $70 000 from a New Zealand television crew covering the Soccer World Cup in South Africa, police and the network said on Sunday.

The theft took place at a hotel in northwestern Rustenburg, where the All Whites are due to play Slovakia on Tuesday, when a door was forced open with a jemmy (short crowbar) while the crew was out having dinner, TVNZ said on its website.

The stolen equipment includes a camera, sound and lighting equipment, satellite equipment and laptop worth about $70 000.
"It's a very timely and sobering reminder of how vigilant all Kiwis travelling to South Africa for the FIFA World Cup need to be," said Paul Patrick, the editor of the network's ONE News.

A police spokesperson confirmed that it had received a complaint from a male journalist from New Zealand.

"He laid a charge of housebreaking and theft," Colonel Junior Metsi told AFP.

The police could not confirm the value of the equipment.

"We only know that it's the equipment that they are using to do the work," Metsi said.

The New Zealanders are the latest victims of crime against international journalists covering the World Cup. A Chinese news crew was held at gunpoint last week while armed robbers also broke into the hotel room housing journalists covering the Portuguese team.

[Andrew Darné]

That's how many journalists that have been hit by the mzanzi burglers? After the WC you'll find all sorts for sale in Gympie street for less than the Chinese can swing a fake Rolex...

[SandyB]

     good  one Andrew , will make sure  to take a walk  down to Gympie street , not that i'm into bling  , mmm maybe a good camera or two ??

[toonfandangl]

Guy's this is not new on our first holiday out of Oranjemund we were informed about never keeping cash or other valuables on our person. One of the guys in the boiler shop would become quite agitated about the subject, and showed me a way of pinning money with safety pins inside my jacket. There was a place (shanty town) after Alexander Bay when you entered the main road to Cape Town, I was told if they try to flag you down just run them down, but on no circumstances stop. That was the beginning of the seventies, in C/T itself we were targeted by some youths in the 'OK Bazaar' but were alerted by security staff................. East End in Brisbane is the chic coffee club clientele but you don't want to be there after dark........................................