Photography student hopes to get camera back left at SEPTA station

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - A photography student left his $500 Nikon camera behind at a SEPTA station and someone took it. Now, he's hoping to get it back with no questions asked.

22-year-old Qaadir Tucker says he was in a panic two weeks ago when he mistakenly left his $500 Nikon camera on top of a kiosk at a SEPTA station as he tried to get a ticket and board a train.

Qaadir and SEPTA police say it took less than a minute for a man to pick up the valuable camera and make off with it.

"Without the camera, I don't know how I'm going to do my assignments for school," Qaadir explained.

Qaadir is a student at the Art Institute studying--you guessed it--photography. It wasn't just the camera he lost, there was a lot more.

"There's like thousands of pictures from like quarters, like last semesters pictures, assignments that I took," he added.

SEPTA police wasted little time trying to come to Qaadir's rescue. They tracked down video of the man who took the camera off the kiosk and tweeted it out. They're asking the man to return it--no questions asked by this Friday.

"We don't know if it's intentional, if its a theft, but right now we're offering amnesty for the camera to be returned," SEPTA Police Sgt. Michael Wright told FOX 29.

Police say theft of mis-laid property is in fact a crime, so they're asking the man to return Qaadir's prized Nikon to police or Qaadir as soon as possible.

"We're trying our best to have this person turn it in without any repercussions legally or any prosecution," Sgt. Wright said.

"Can you just bring it back. It'll be like no harm done," Qaadir said.

SEPTA police and Qaadir say they're really not interested in pressing charges if the camera is returned. Police are also asking pawn shops and the public to come forward if they spot the camera or the man who took it.