Camera Case Theft Leads to Ventura Boulevard Closure

While he ran into a savings and loan Wednesday afternoon at about 1:30 to grab some cash, photographer Mark Elkins lost more than a few minutes in line. And he set in motion a series of events that shut down the San Fernando Valley’s main street for more than two hours.

While he was in the savings and loan on Ventura Boulevard at Louise Street, someone stole a camera case from Elkins’ van. Unaware that he had been robbed, he drove off, he said later.

Apparently, the thief didn’t really want the camera equipment or failed to realize how valuable it was and abandoned the case nearby, near an automated teller machine, where a passerby saw it and called police, Elkins said.

Fearing the case might contain explosives, officers summoned the bomb squad, West Valley Sgt. Jeri Weinstein said.

Ventura Boulevard was closed to traffic. A Sav-on pharmacy and other shops and offices in the area were ordered evacuated.

Then the case--containing about $3,500 in camera equipment--was blown up with a small explosive charge, a standard measure for destroying suspected bombs of unknown design.

Elkins says he knew nothing of any of this until officers showed up at his studio a couple of blocks away, returning the shattered bag and equipment after finding his identification inside.

Elkins took the loss in stride.

“I told my insurance agent that this is going to blow your mind,” he said. “And when I told her the story, she laughed real hard.”