Robert Irwin stops airport thief from stealing camera gear

Robert Irwin has described a dramatic encounter in which he intervened to stop a thief from walking off with his professional camera gear. Speaking to People magazine, the conservationist and Dancing with the Stars contestant said the incident unfolded after a flight into Nairobi when his hard case—checked because it would not fit in the cabin—failed to appear with the rest of the luggage. Trusting a hunch, Irwin returned to the carousel area and spotted his sticker-covered Pelican case being wheeled toward the exit on a trolley. When he confronted the man handling it, the individual handed the case back and bolted, Irwin recounted. Irwin said attempts to swipe photography equipment are common worldwide and urged vigilance when traveling with kit. He added that photography remains a passion because it lets him share the beauty of the natural world and why it needs protection.