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“Reporter Tara Moriarty and camera operator Keith Crook were reporting from World’s Fare Donuts at 20800 Hesperian Boulevard west of Interstate 880,” sfgate.com reports. “The restaurant is the home of many lottery winners, and the two had been doing live shots earlier in the morning about the Powerball jackpot, which is approaching $500 million. Moriarty and Crook had just finished a live shot at the donut shop about 6:40 a.m. and were walking back to the news truck when they were confronted by two men in masks.” The crew quickly realized that the men weren’t live TV photobombers . . .

Crook was hit and fell to the ground. The assailants robbed Crook of a live transmission unit — a device attached to a camera for use in live broadcasts — and a microphone, officials said. The men were last seen fleeing east on West A Street on foot, police said.

“A news crew was assaulted and their gear was taken,” officers were told on the radio. “No weapon was seen.”

This is not the first time Bay Area TV news crews have been targeted by robbers. There’s been a spate of such attacks. And so . . .

The heists have prompted many stations to hire security guards to accompany news crews. Many of the guards are former police officers.

Because the TV news crews themselves can’t exercise their natural, civil and Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms. But they can afford to hire ex-cops – the “special ones” – who can carry the most effective tool for personal defense. Unlike the TV audience.

I wonder if this experience will change SF media’s anti-gun culture? Or if Texas feral hogs will sprout wings to avoid JWT’s expert attention.

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51 COMMENTS

    • They yet may recover some of the gear.

      The station had GPS trackers inside the gear.

      “The stolen gear was tracked by GPS north on Interstate 880, across the Bay Bridge and into San Francisco’s Mission Terrace neighborhood. But it wasn’t immediately recovered.”

      What kind of ‘hood is Mission Terrace?

  2. Evolution will provide flying pigs in fewer years than it would take to get pro gun news folks here in the bay area.

  3. More poor unarmed Californians. I’m glad that I live in a relatively free state. I would have at least had my J-Frame if something like that went down.

    • I’m in the process of applying for my CHL, but in this specific instance, it might have been of limited use since the camera man most likely had his hands full carrying his gear. Even so-so broadcast grade gear is VERY spendy, so one might hesitate to just drop a $10K+ news camera onto concrete to free your hands to clear and draw your CHL piece.

      • Good points! A concealed weapon may or may not have been useful here. That said, I’d still rather have it.

        Of course the article also mentioned that the man was assaulted, struck, and fell to the ground. So, the fancy equipment probably did hit the concrete, and was stolen to boot.

      • Plus, it was not his camera, you can be sure. I’m not shooting anybody to protect someone else’s camera.

        • The problem being, if you surrender the iniative in not immediately attacking, once they have you helpless, they might kill you any way. Or they might be Muslim terrorists wanting to make some examples of some infidels.

          Better to get killed maybe taking a few of the predators with you than be shot down like a dog or have your head chopped off on YouTube for the glory of allah.

      • If being gunned down by a CHL were a realistic prospect in California, that might have served as a deterrent and the incident might never have occured; regardless whether the victims were even armed, let alone presented a firearm.

  6. I knew a Berkeley graduate school of journalism student that lost $60k in equipment by walking into Rodney King riots with it. He got the shit beat out of him too. I was as baffled as you about it.

    • Nothing baffling at all, when you started the sentence with “Berkeley graduate school of journalism student”. I wouldn’t expect intelligent behavior from such a creature.

  8. A few years ago we were shooting some footage in a bad part of Brooklyn. The Assistant Camera decided it was time to unload all the camera gear and organize it. Without telling anyone. So he pulls 14 cases out of the back of the pickup and lays them out on the sidewalk.

    The producer sees this, and kind of freaks out. Orders the guy to put the stuff back, now. But too late. Coming down the street from the West are two large individuals. I look the other way. Another pair coming from the East. Converging on us. I know we’re in trouble.

    The producer steps to the middle of the street, reaches into his briefcase and pulls out a 1911 which he just holds against his thigh.

    As one, like some crazy ballet, the four men all turn and walk back the way they came. We throw the cases in the truck and haul butt.

    I have never been so happy to see an illegally carried gun in my life.

  9. so again, if you are part of corporate america then yes you can defend yourself. just some average joe? no you can just die at the hands of criminals. Go America.

    • Actually, no. Most corporations tell their employees to be unarmed as well. I find it extremely interesting that both government and corporations want people to be unarmed.

      • Actually Yes, ignore the law, just like criminals. If arms are employed, and in front of a jury and and relay that lawful self defense trumps a criminal trying to relieve you of your life.

  10. Ten years from now, Keith Crook will be regaling everyone that, even though he was suffering from dysentery from swallowing flood waters, he fought off ten hooded ninja thieves after being hit by RPG fire, and rescued six puppies from a burning building. Then he saw a body floating down the street and walked on water for the rescue.

  12. Ski masks, and they stole camera equipment (hmmmm?). Hope ISIS isn’t going to run a free jihad clinic.

  13. As far as I am concerned all Journalists are GUILTY (of supporting Anti-gunners) until proven innocent and deserve every rape, robbery, and murder they get.

    • REALLY, Glenn, REALLY? Is it so easy to condone murder and rape for your next door neighbor? Just saying……

      • Yes, Don. Really!
        Most Journalists are liberal, but I don’t have so much of a problem with that.
        But most of those liberal journalists are avowed gun-grabbers who do not recognize my right to keep and bear arms.
        I equivocate my right to keep and bear arms with my right to life.
        The logic is simple, clean, and undeniable.
        I have the right to life.
        If I have the right to life, then I have the right to protect my life and my family
        The most efficient and effective means to protect those lives is with a firearm.
        Therefore, if I have the right to life, I have the right to keep and bear arms.
        Conversely, if I do not have the right to keep and bear arms then I actually do not have the right to life.
        And so, it someone says that I do not have the right to keep and bear arms, they are
        equivocating that I do not have the right to life.
        Therefore, if they do not recognize my right to life, I don’t recognize ANY of their rights.
        That’s no threat.
        Thats’ just pure deduction.

        • That’s pure win right there. I’m going to steal it, lower it, slap a coat of imron red on it and drive the hell out of it.

        • Glen in USA is correct. The media is dominated by closet Socialists/Progressives/Liberals/Democrats. Their bias and lies are on stage every night on American TV. The leftwing bias of the lamestream media is pervasive and quantifiable. Since the 1980s, studies have consistently shown that the professionals who constitute America’s lamestream news media – reporters, editors, anchors, publishers, correspondents, bureau chiefs, and executives at the nation’s major newspapers, magazines, and broadcast networks – are preponderantly left-oriented and Democrat.

          Brian Williams is a registered Dem who worked in the White House during the Carter administration, beginning as a White House intern.

    • I think you missed the part about this going down in San Francisco, California, which would be one reason they were disarmed.

  17. That’s Hesperien and West A street in hayward. I’m in that area regular. Real slice of life. Tweaker central. Deformed hookers. Carny folk.

    If the job didn’t require it I wouldn’t be there.

  19. “I wonder if this experience will change SF media’s anti-gun culture? Or if Texas feral hogs will sprout wings to avoid JWT’s expert attention.”

    I will take option #2, please.

    And now please excuse me while I enjoy a nice cup of politically-correct organic, shade-grown, fair trade herbal tea and a Schadenfreude Mint.

    Oh my, the reek of irony.

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