During a live broadcast in Adelaide, a man stole equipment from Channel Seven’s crew while they reported on rising crime rates. Reporter Hayden Nelson and his cameraman, filming in Rundle Mall, were caught off guard when the man casually greeted them, then took one of their lights without being noticed. Hayden later explained how brazen the crime was, highlighting their vulnerability while focused on the broadcast. It wasn’t until after the segment that they discovered the light was missing, illustrating the opportunistic nature of theft in the area and emphasizing the need for better security and police presence.
During a live TV broadcast in Adelaide, an unusual incident occurred when a man stole equipment while a report on escalating crime rates was being aired. Channel Seven’s Hayden Nelson was delivering updates on crime statistics at various shopping centres in the city for the morning program Sunrise.
While they were filming in Rundle Mall, a man approached both the reporter and his cameraman with a casual greeting. Without anyone noticing, he discreetly took one of the crew’s lights and calmly walked away, continuing the theft without being seen by the crew at that moment.
In an explanation of the incident, Hayden later commented on air: “To illustrate just how daring some of the crime is, this morning after our last live cross, someone came and snatched the light off our light stand.”
“We had about three lights set up, and they just pulled one off blatantly and walked away with it. Thus, the need for security and calls for police were certainly made evident for us this morning.”
The reporter later informed 7News: “After the segment, he went to check on the light – the stand remained, but the light itself had disappeared, leaving us puzzled about how a light could just vanish.”
“When you’re about to go live, you have an earpiece in, communicating with your director, while the presenters’ voices are in your ear, and the lights are shining brightly in your face,” he explained, detailing why it took time for them to realize the light was missing.”
“Your full attention is on the story, ensuring that your facts are accurate. You are aware of your surroundings and understand that anything can happen while you’re on air, but for an incident like this to occur, where someone takes our equipment opportunistically, they may not know its purpose or value.”