Fox news crew robbed while filming Powerball segment
A Fox-affiliated news crew was attacked in Hayward early Wednesday, the latest in a string of robberies targeting media in the Bay Area, authorities said.
The KTVU-Channel 2 crew was wrapping up filming for a Powerball segment at a convenience store in Hayward when the attack occurred, said Sgt. Tasha Decosta of the Hayward Police Department.
Authorities said a cameraman was loading his equipment into a news van when two men walked up and pushed him to the ground.
The robbers -- who never brandished a weapon -- stole a camera, microphone and other equipment, Decosta said. The equipment was valued at $50,000.
An ambulance was called after the cameraman complained of neck pain. The victim was not taken to a hospital, Decosta said.
This incident is the latest attack on media representatives in the Bay Area. Last July, a KPIX-TV news team had a laptop and personal belongings stolen from a TV van, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. A member of that same news crew was punched and robbed during a live broadcast in 2012, the newspaper reported.
The Chronicle reported that some news stations have ordered security guards to accompany reporters and news crews when covering stories.
KTVU did not return a call for comment.
For more California breaking news, follow LATangel.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
