Company: More Than $200,000 In Camera Equipment Stolen In West Valley Warehouse Theft

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — A digital production firm offered a hefty reward Tuesday after more than $200,000 in camera equipment vanished from a warehouse over the weekend.

Welikesmall creative director David Byrd said the company is putting up $7,500 for information leading to the return of the stolen gear, following the break-in and theft at 7079 W. Gates Ave. that was discovered Sunday morning.

“It was a really great space — just really, really bad that this had to happen,” Byrd said.

The equipment was stored at the warehouse while workers set up an elaborate shoot to capture content for a website.

Company co-founder Mike Kern said a couple of RED cameras were stolen, as were several high-end lenses and other equipment.

“Our HELIUM 8K camera was probably $30,000,” Kern said. “The most expensive thing we lost was actually lenses that totaled $40,000, $50,000 — somewhere in there.”

The losses were also steep for some of the contractors hired on for the shoot, some of whom traveled from other states to work on the project.

“It took them years — 10, 20, 30 years — to build up that kind of repertoire that they pull from,” Kern said.

West Valley City Police Department spokesperson Roxeanne Vainuka said officers were investigating the theft.

Anybody with information was asked to call the department at 801-840-4000.

Byrd said the heist could have a ripple effect on other projects the company was slated to do in the near future.

“We’re trying to just do our job, and when someone comes in and just violates that — it’s hard,” Byrd said. “It’s really, really hard.”