By Emily Price
Camera equipment worth £1,600 has been stolen from a university graduate after he turned his back for a split second.
Freelance photographer, Aiyush Pachnanda, was working on a photo shoot on Bermondsey Street in London when his bag of cameras and lenses was stolen.
Aiyush, 23, graduated from the University of South Wales in 2019 and his camera bag got him through his degree in photojournalism.
Aiyush said: “I was taking pictures for a clothing shoot and it all happened so fast. I took a picture of a model, turned around and the bag was gone.
“Some people helped me look around, but we couldn’t find the bag.”
Police were called but the case has since been closed due to a lack of evidence.
The camera bag had travelled with Aiyush throughout his studies and career, across Europe, to the US and India before it was pinched on Wednesday, 17th February.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by one of Aiyush’s friend’s to help raise money to replace the equipment .
Aiyush said: “The equipment was worth £1,600 but the bag had a lot of sentimental value too. There was a watch in there and a pendant that I had been given and I’d even bought one of the lenses from my old university lecturer.”
Because of financial issues due to the pandemic, Aiyush unfortunately had to cancel his insurance covering the equipment in the stolen bag.
Aiyush said: “A bit of myself was stolen with that bag but the support afterwards has been amazing and quite overwhelming.
“People have been incredibly kind with their donations, I’m ever so grateful.”
A list of the items stolen has been posted on Aiyush’s social media in the hope that someone will recognise his stolen valuable items.
Images by Aiyush Pachnanda