Police are looking for an opportunistic thief who made off with one of Channel 7’s broadcast lights during a live-cross on Sunrise.
Reporter Hayden Nelson was live on air when a man casually walked past and stole one of his camera crew’s lights in Adelaide’s Rundle Mall at 5am on Monday.
Nelson was reporting on rising crime in the area when his crew was approached by the man who greeted them before taking off with their gear.
However, nobody noticed until Nelson was off the air.
‘After the cross, he’s gone to check on the light — the stand was still there but the light itself has vanished,’ he told 7News.
‘So we were both scratching our heads about how a light can go missing.’
The light was one of three being used to illuminate Nelson and it was not in direct eyesight of anyone in the crew, so the thief was easily able to steal it.
South Australian Police on Thursday released a photo of a man who may be able to assist with their investigations.
Hayden Nelson was reporting live from Rundle Mall in Adelaide when a man stole one of his lights
Nelson’s crew did not notice the man at the time and only discovered the light had been stolen after their shoot was done
Nelson said he saw a man walking past but did not pay much attention to him.
‘When you’re about to go live, you’ve got an earpiece in with your director talking to you, and the sound of the presenters, you’ve got lights blaring at you,’ he said.
The reporter added that it was a senseless robbery as it would be ‘impossible’ for the thief to use the light on their own.
To operate it they would need a broadcast-quality battery that you can only get in the industry and it also requires a unique charger, Nelson explained.
The man who may be able to assist police with their inquiries was wearing an orange beanie, dark green shirt and dark-coloured shorts.
Police are urging anyone with information about the man to contact Crime Stoppers.
