After Car is Stolen, Tegna Fires Photographer

You can be an anchor at a Tegna station and post about getting a needle in your dong.

You can anchor the news at a Tegna station wearing a Donkey Kong T-Shirt and it’s all good.

But, get your car stolen and YOU’RE FIRED!

Ben Garvin was one of the top News Photographers in the Minneapolis market. He worked for Tegna’s KARE.

We say “worked for” because he no longer does. He was fired after his news car was stolen from in front in his house.

Garvin said that he had been keeping a KARE vehicle at his residence in south Minneapolis while he worked from home during the pandemic. Sometime before Christmas, the car was stolen. There was no camera gear inside, but some lights and tripods were in the trunk. Garvin admits he left the car unlocked and likely tossed the keys in the trunk.

The car was recovered, but Garvin was fired by the station.

The Star Tribune writes that KARE News Director Stacey Nogy said Tuesday that the station doesn't comment on personnel issues.

Garvin said the firing was "a bummer," especially right before Christmas, but he put a positive spin on his situation.

"I've long felt like it was time to move forward and start something new," he wrote. "It's hard to leave a good job and I no doubt would've taken way too long to make that leap on my own. So I'm choosing to see this moment as a step forward. A scary anxiety-producing step, but a step."

KARE anchor Randy Shaver was among the high-profile names wishing their former colleague well on Facebook.

"What an honor is was to work with you at KARE," Shaver wrote. "You made us better."

No question leaving your station car unlocked and with the keys inside is a boneheaded move. Should he have been suspended? Absolutely. But, to fire one of the best people on your staff for a stupid move seems like a bit of overkill to us.

Then again…..this is Tegna.