We sadly have to report that shortly after midnight on Tuesday, December 28th, our offices were broken into by two masked individuals.
Within just three minutes, the thieves managed to steal over £100,000 worth of DJI drones, cameras and accessories from the premises.
Officers were called to our offices on Terminus Road shortly after midnight to reports of a break-in, but an extensive search of the area did not locate any suspects.
That’s why we’re urging all UK drone enthusiasts to be aware of dozens of stolen DJI goods potentially entering the marketplace.
Beware of Stolen DJI Drones
Despite our secure premises, the thieves managed to steal multiple types of DJI drones, including DJI’s newest flagship drone the Mavic 3.
We're asking drone users across the country to be extra vigilant and on the lookout for discounted Mavic 3's, Mavic 3 Fly More's and Mavic 3 Cine Premium Combos.
The outer boxes of these stolen drones would likely be damaged and marked due to the nature of which they were stolen.
Our team is currently working with Sussex & Hampshire Police as well as the CID to track down the stolen drones and stop unsuspecting consumers from purchasing them.
We’re currently working with DJI to ensure that the stolen drones cannot be activated at all.
As these drones are such a high-value item and are brand new watch out for sellers offering the product at a discounted price. Any seller offering any Mavic 3 Package below the recommended retail price please treat with extreme caution.
From our current investigations, we believe that the items have made there way to the Midlands, more specifically Wolverhampton and Birmingham. This is due to the increase in suspicious listings on Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree in that area.
How Were The DJI Drones Taken?
Two masked individuals in all-black tracksuits were captured on our building's CCTV surveillance system.
These people were carrying a blue Jewson concrete mixing bag. Both were dressed in Nike trainers and Nike jogging bottoms.
The two intruders forced their way into the building before rushing through it, straight for the Drone Safe Store on the first floor.
Once inside, the thieves used brute force to smash the frame of our office before exiting through the fire door.
“Stolen goods are often sold via Facebook Marketplace, we’re urging everyone to stay vigilant. These drones are worth thousands of pounds each and could be found anywhere in the country by now!”
Tom Boyt | Drone Safe Store Manager
Unfortunately, it’s clear that this was a targeted, personal attack on a small, independent, family-run business.
Since Mark Boyt first flew the drone into the Dragons Den, his mission has been to establish his business as the safe and trusted source for drone operators in the UK.
Despite this setback, the Drone Safe Store is still alive and kicking and able to fulfil orders on their range of DJI drones and accessories. Any item in stock on our website will be dispatched immediately.
How Can You Help?
Thankfully, local authorities and drone pilots have worked tirelessly with us to get the word out and to try and track down these stolen drones.
Locally we have worked with the Chichester Observer to raise awareness in the surrounding area. We also enlisted the help of ITV Meridian news to spread awareness of the unfortunate news.
Nationally we have worked with the Sun newspaper on drawing attention to this issue.
Items to be aware of include:
DJI MAVIC 3 SINGLE |
DJI MAVIC 3 FLY MORE KIT |
DJI MAVIC 3 CINE COMBO |
DJI X7 CAMERA BODY |
DJI X7 ADVANCED KIT |
DJI CENDENCE CONTROLLER |
DJI H20T CAMERA |
DJI TB60 BATTERY |
DJI FPV GOGGLE V2 |
DJI MINI 2 SINGLE |
DJI MINI 2 COMBO |
DJI MODE 2 CONTROLLER |
DJI CRYSTAL SKY 5.5 |
DJI RS2 PRO |
DJI ENTERPRISE ADVANCED DEMO |
DJI ENTERPRISE M300 CONTROLLER |
DJI X5 S CAMERA |
DJI MAVIC 2 FLYMORE KITS |
DJI FPV GOGGLES OPEN BOX |
DJI OSMO MOBILE 4 |
DJI MINI 2 BATTERY |
DJI FPV COMBO |
DJI ENTERPRISE FLY MORE KITS |
DJI AIR 2 S COMBO |
Please notify us if you notice any suspicious activity.
“I want to personally thank Drone Safe Register members during this troubling time for all the help and support they have offered to help track down these missing drones.”
Mark Boyt | Drone Safe Register & Store CEO & Founder
Drone Safe Store will be offering a substantial reward for any information that leads to the identification of and arrest of the two thieves spotted in the CCTV footage.
If you have any information on these ongoing investigations please contact the police online or by calling 101, quoting serial 0008 of 28/12.
Thank you all for your kind words and assistance during this troubling time.
