A video showing an attempted armed robbery of a wedding photographer last week is drawing new attention to a rise in thefts targeting photographers in the San Francisco area. The latest violence has prompted some photographers to turn down shoots in the area and others to hire security.

On Nov. 9, a photographer was taking wedding portraits at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco when two armed assailants attempted to grab the camera bag. A witness captured the scene in a smartphone video which shows two armed suspects attempting to grab the backpack off the photographer’s back. After about a minute, the two suspects fled empty handed. According to CBS News, the photographer, who is based in Dallas, Texas, was bleeding from a head injury after being pistol whipped. The photographer said he refused to hand over his gear because of the photos inside them. According to ABC 7 News, thieves manages to steal a camera bag in a separate incident at the Palace of Fine Arts that same day.

The video is just one of several similar incidents in the San Francisco area, including an armed robbery earlier this year at Twin Peaks, which was also caught on camera. Wedding photographer Laurent Martin, of the San Francisco based duo Helena & Laurent, says that San Francisco has always been a city where valuables shouldn’t be left in cars. But, over the last two years, the husband and wife team has started hearing more stories, often where someone runs up, grabs the camera or bag, and runs off. The couple tells us they even know a photographer who has started hiring a security guard during shoots. Some photographers have said that they won’t be shooting in the area anymore.

[Read: Photographers Robbed of $7,000 in Gear While Stuck in Traffic]

Laurent’s wife Helena, who often shoots solo, now hides a memory card after the ceremony. She says she will often send her bag ahead to the reception and shoot with just one camera and an extra lens. She doesn’t keep gear in the car and never digs gear out of the trunk when on location.

“San Francisco has always been a city where you don’t leave your stuff in the car or your bags visible,” says Laurent. “…the potential of being burglarized as you are using the camera has increased. We didn’t think about this eight years ago or even five years ago.”

The San Francisco Police Department suggests keeping bags close to the body, hiding valuables and staying aware of the surroundings—but also advises avoiding using cell phones in public, as they’re a common target by thieves. Photographers may be particularly vulnerable because cameras are highly visible valuables without the protections of features like Find my iPhone, and looking through a viewfinder limits the ability to remain aware of the surroundings.

[Read: What’s the Right insurance For Your Photo Business?]

“We believe it takes the entire community to keep us safe,” Officer Robert Rueca, a Public Information Office with the SFPD, tells Rangefinder. “If you see something suspicious, say something specific.” The officer says that witnesses should call 911 immediately and be prepared to provide a description of the suspect, the suspect’s actions and direction of travel. If it’s safe to do so, Rueca adds, take a photo or video.

The recent armed robbery has drawn additional attention to a petition started last year asking camera manufacturers to add anti-theft systems. “Among the nefarious, the secret is out: camera gear is the perfect thing to steal,” the petition reads. “It is of high value, holds its resale value, and is compact and easy to conceal. We cannot change this. More importantly, however, camera gear can’t currently be tracked or remotely disabled. Anyone can turn it on and operate it. We CAN change this.” The petition asks for cameras to be equipped with features similar to those that help prevent smartphone theft, including passcodes, GPS tracking, biometrics and remote disabling. It also requests lens pairing, which would leave lenses stolen off camera bodies nonfunctional.