Czech TV journalist Bohumil Vostal faced a tense moment while attempting to capture a captivating scene: the iconic City Lights bookstore in San Francisco enveloped in the fading twilight.

In an unsettling turn of events, Vostal and his cameraman became victims of a frightening robbery, executed by three masked individuals armed with guns.

This incident unfolded at 5 p.m. on Columbus Avenue, leading to the loss of equipment and valuable footage exceeding $18,000.

The assailants chose to target the journalists despite the heightened international focus on the APEC summit, where leaders from 21 economies had convened, the Daily Express reported.

In an interview, Vostal expressed his shattered expectations, stating: “I’m one of those many people who used to read Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road,’ and I was so much looking forward to visit your city.”

The team had set out for a day of filming, documenting scenes of well-known locations like the Painted Ladies in Alamo Square and interacting with community figures.

Unfortunately, the theft of equipment and footage left Vostal and his crew in a race to replace the lost materials.

Even though the police responded promptly, arriving within a minute of the 911 call, the robbers successfully evaded capture.

Written by B.C. Begley