KTVU news crew attacked, robbed in Hayward
By Henry K. Lee on February 11, 2015 11:04 AM
A KTVU news crew was attacked and robbed of camera equipment early Tuesday in Hayward, authorities said.
Reporter Tara Moriarty and camera operator Keith Crook were reporting from World’s Fare Donuts at 20800 Hesperian Boulevard west of Interstate 880. The restaurant is the home of many lottery winners, and the two had been doing live shots earlier in the morning about the Powerball jackpot, which is approaching $500 million.
Moriarty and Crook had just finished a live shot at the donut shop about 6:40 a.m. and were walking back to the news truck when they were confronted by two men in masks.
Crook was hit and fell to the ground. The assailants robbed Crook of a live transmission unit — a device attached to a camera for use in live broadcasts — and a microphone, officials said. The men were last seen fleeing east on West A Street on foot, police said.
“A news crew was assaulted and their gear was taken,” officers were told on the radio. “No weapon was seen.”
In a story posted on its website, KTVU officials said, “Moriarty and Crook were shaken up, but otherwise uninjured in the incident.”
“They’re fine. That’s the good news,” said KTVU news director Dana Hahn.
The stolen gear was tracked by GPS north on Interstate 880, across the Bay Bridge and into San Francisco’s Mission Terrace neighborhood. But it wasn’t immediately recovered.
The incident was the latest in which robbers have targeted the news media. The heists have prompted many stations to hire security guards to accompany news crews. Many of the guards are former police officers.
Other KTVU news crews have been accosted in Oakland and had their gear stolen.
http://blog.sfgate.com/crime/2015/02/11/ktvu-news-crew-attacked-robbed-in-hayward/
