OAKLAND, Calif. – An East Bay couple’s happiness over getting married soon turned to heartache after a thief stole their wedding photographer’s cameras, gear – and all their professional photos.
“Pure devastation. We have our memories, but the pictures are the things that mean a lot, as well,” Jenna Wesenhagen-Banks said Thursday, her voice breaking.
She and husband Nick Banks of Antioch got married Sunday in Contra Costa County.
Car break-in days after wedding
What we know:
Jenna Wesenhagen-Banks and Nick Banks got married in Contra Costa County.
But on Wednesday, a close friend who served as their wedding photographer had all of his equipment stolen in a car break-in in downtown Oakland.
“His car got broken into, his rental car, and they stole all of his equipment, which had all of our photos,” she said. “Just the devastation in his voice and, I mean, we are just sick to our stomach.”
“It’s just upsetting,” said Banks. “Times are hard. I get some people got to do what they got to do, but you got to understand the impact of what it is that you’re doing that it has on other people’s lives.”
“I feel horrible. All my gear could be replaced. The one thing I can’t replace is Jenna and Nick’s photos,” said their photographer David Martin.
Parked in Oakland
The backstory:
Martin had parked his rental Kia Sportage at the corner of 10th and Washington streets in Old Oakland at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
He went into Swan’s Market to get some food.
“And just within a matter of minutes, as I came back outside, my windows were smashed,” Martin said, adding witnesses reported seeing a masked man come out of a green vehicle and break into the SUV.
Taken were gear worth $35,000, including two cameras, lenses, a drone, a laptop as well as a hard drive and memory cards with the couple’s photos.
Just before the break-in, Martin had taken photos of a building for a different client elsewhere in downtown.
Victim says he could have been followed
What they’re saying:
“So potentially, I could have been followed, but I do believe that there’s like a network, and they just smash windows all the time.
Martin spent part of Thursday scouring pawn shops in San Francisco and Oakland, with no luck.
He says he’s learned an important lesson.
“I have to back them up in places that aren’t together that somebody could take from me all at one time,” Martin said.
Oakland police are investigating but have not made any arrests.
The couple were able to get videos and still photos of their special day from friends. But they’re hoping they get their professional photos back.
“Just return it, you know?” Wesenhagen-Banks said. “We’re not going to hold a grudge or hate you or anything of the sort. Just be a good human being and just return it so we have these memories.”
What you can do:
Martin’s family has started a GoFundMe to help restore his livelihood and is also offering a reward for information leading to the recovery of his gear.
Anyone with information is asked to email lina@davidmartinjrphoto.com.
Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on X @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan
The Source: Information for this story came from interviews with the photographer whose equipment was stolen and a married couple whose photos were digitally stored on the stolen items.