SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Another high value, one-of a-kind missing UPS shipment. 7 On Your Side Investigates has covered several rare items lost by the shipping company that then appear for sale on eBay or at an auction.
Dave Herring has been documenting people and places for 20 years, so it should come as no surprise that he documented what he believes to be the theft of his Leica M11-P Safari camera on his YouTube channel.
“Feeling anxious, feeling betrayed,” said Herring in a YouTube video he made.
The video has more than 80,000 views and 1,300 comments.
MORE: Bay Area couple says UPS sold their lost painting to third-party auctioneer
Herring calls himself a Leica photographer. The brand is well known by photography enthusiasts, and the missing camera is worth $10,500.
“It’s not a camera that is easily replaceable, and it’s not a camera that has been mass produced,” Herring said.
Herring was mailing the camera back to Leica for a repair. He says he told the UPS Store he was shipping a camera and that it was insured on his Professional Photographer’s of America policy, which is why he didn’t opt for additional insurance when he dropped it off.
“How did you figure out that the camera never made it back to Leica,” asked ABC7 News Reporter Melanie Woodrow.
MORE: UPS tells Bay Area customer his guitar is destroyed and discarded, but he then finds it for sale
“Upon checking the tracking number, it said that the item had never been picked up by UPS, and it never left the store,” Herring said. “Everything was inconclusive and their official position is packages go missing.”
In his research, Herring found 7 On Your Side Investigates prior coverage of other rare missing UPS shipments.
UPS told customers Woodrow has interviewed that the merchandise was missing, and the cartons had been discarded.
But, a missing guitar later turned up for sale on a Guitar Center website. A motorcycle supercharger later turned up for sale on eBay, and a one-of-a-kind painting later turned up for sale on a pallet at an NPS auction.
MORE: Bay Area viewers question UPS explanation for ‘lost items’ now for sale online
“Wow, is there something going on even at just a local level here?” Herring said. “I would love to see some like answers to that and some accountability for that rather than just corporate handwashing.”
In an emailed statement, a UPS spokesperson wrote, in part: “UPS works hard to prevent losses by closely monitoring our operations, maintaining strong security measures, and cooperating with law enforcement when needed.”
UPS reimbursed Herring $100 for the standard declared value of all shipments — since he didn’t purchase additional insurance — and $72.63 for the shipping.
He says the camera’s serial number is logged with Leica and if anyone tries to repair or register it, the company would flag it.
Herring was able to get fully reimbursed from his Professional Photographer’s of America Policy, but he says, up until now, in all his years as a photographer, he’s never had to file a claim.
Take a look at more stories and videos by 7 On Your Side.
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