Over $100K in high-end gear stolen in 90-second heist at Calgary camera store

In a brazen early morning robbery, a Calgary camera store lost over $100,000 worth of merchandise in just 90 seconds—marking the third break-in the business has suffered in recent years.

The theft occurred shortly before 3 a.m. on Thursday, when a lone suspect broke into The Camera Store on 11 Avenue SW and swiftly targeted high-end equipment.

Surveillance footage shows the individual stuffing gear into what appears to be a hockey bag before fleeing the scene. The total loss is still being calculated, but store officials estimate it has already surpassed $120,000.

“He knew exactly what he wanted,” said Julian Ferreira, Operations Manager at The Camera Store. “He went into the Sony showcase and took a high-end list, leaving a lot of the lower-priced items.”

Ferreira believes the robbery was meticulously planned.

“It’s been well scouted,” he said. “He no doubt talked to our salespeople and had a good idea of what he was taking. It was way too clinical, way too organized.”

The store, which had its first break-in in 2017 after 21 years of business, was also targeted in 2023. However, this latest incident is the most costly, prompting the business to file an insurance claim for the first time in nearly three decades.

Calgary Police confirmed they are investigating the robbery, though no suspects are currently in custody.

In an effort to recover the stolen goods, the store has posted a list of missing items and their serial numbers on its website. They are also offering a $5,000 in-store shopping credit for information leading to a conviction.

Despite the setback, The Camera Store reopened the same day.

When asked if he’d had any rest since the incident, Ferriera replied, “No, but I did manage to get something to eat a few minutes ago, so life is looking better.”