Terrible terrible thing.

[lemmywinks]

Our old practice room was broken into a couple of years ago. We'd built the main room inside it, the door was made from the same stuff as the walls. They spent all the time trying to nick my mate's £400 motorbike (and failed), seemingly oblivious to the music room opposite them which contained all our gear

We were lucky, they only got away with a few cheap tools and some motorbike accessories. I shudder to think what would have happened if my Hartke stack and Warwick had gone

The same lot nicked thousands of pounds worth of kitchen worktops/equipment from another building in the area, drove a flatbed truck there to get it all on.

As Alan Partridge would say "Scum, sub-human scum!"

[Kiwi]

I'm sorry to hear what's happened but at least the police have him. Would it be worth seeking legal advice about bringing a civil case to recover the costs due to his neglicence?

[Jamolah]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='545970' date='Jul 21 2009, 07:46 AM']I'm sorry to hear what's happened but at least the police have him. Would it be worth seeking legal advice about bringing a civil case to recover the costs due to his neglicence?[/quote]


I'm waiting for the police to contact me before I ask, but if there's any chance to squeeze some cash out of the guy then I'm all for it. They reckon he's definitely going to get it for this, as it's not the first time (sigh) he's been up for breaking into cars.

What a world.

JP

p.s. - still looking for a good 2nd hand upright. Any leads/offers/advice welcome.

[Aussiephoenix]

[quote name='hubrad' post='545370' date='Jul 20 2009, 03:19 PM']Mates wonder why I bring stuff in from the car even if we're just having a brew on the way back from a gig..[/quote]

+ 1 I never leave stuff in the car for the exact same reason.
Never had a bass stolen, thank god, But my car has been broken into at least 3 times, all of those because i forgot to take the face off the radio.
Alarm blaring all day, and nobody saw or heard anything... great society we live in...

[TheRev]

Hmm,

Up to now I'd have had no problem leaving my Eminence EUB in the back of my car as I'd have thought your typical chav/pikey wouldn't know what it was.

Looks like it's coming into the pub with me after rehearsals in future.

[KevB]

Problem is that often rehearsal studios are in either slightly dodgy areas or remote 'industrial unit' type places and casual thieves soon get to know about them. Not having gear in the car is no deterrant. The drummer in a band I was in a few years back had his side window put through whilst we were rehearsing one time even though there was nothing on display in the car, they were just opportunists having a go at the glovebox and boot on the offchance, could have happened to any of us. He quit after that and I had honest sympathy for him.

[Jamolah]

[quote name='KevB' post='546379' date='Jul 21 2009, 01:17 PM']Problem is that often rehearsal studios are in either slightly dodgy areas or remote 'industrial unit' type places and casual thieves soon get to know about them. Not having gear in the car is no deterrant. The drummer in a band I was in a few years back had his side window put through whilst we were rehearsing one time even though there was nothing on display in the car, they were just opportunists having a go at the glovebox and boot on the offchance, could have happened to any of us. He quit after that and I had honest sympathy for him.[/quote]

+1. I wholeheartedly believe that my car would've been done in even without the bass inside, as I'd also left the face on the radio and my iPod was on the seat (underneath my hat). My car has(had) blacked-out rear windows (honestly, not my choice. They were on it when I bought it) and was parked away from the main street, so in order to have seen the bass the guy must've walked up and looked through the front windows. Too good to resist.

Still no excuse for leaving the damn thing in the car, but you don't think, do you? You just assume it'll be fine because it's been fine for the last 2 years to leave the thing in there for a few hours.

JP

[OldGit]

I have a black soft blanket fron IKEA (£3 or so)
If I have to leave gear on the back seat (say en route to a gig, services getting coffee or a pee) I cover anything visible from the outside with it and it becomes a load less visible either due to the relection from the glass or dark at night.

Of course if the local toerags know there's musicians in and out of a building they can just hang out and watch for stuff to nick but the black blanket does help on the road.

[KevB]

+1 for the blanket, done that myself too though I've gone for a tatty tartan job that looks like it's the sort of thing you'd put down for a dog to lie on. My next car, when I finally get to pick it up, has darkened rear side and back windows which might help a bit (or just makes you look like you've got something to hide and thus a better target, difficult to tell how the criminal mind works!).

[hubrad]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='545970' date='Jul 21 2009, 07:46 AM']I'm sorry to hear what's happened but at least the police have him. Would it be worth seeking legal advice about bringing a civil case to recover the costs due to his neglicence?[/quote]
Negligence like 'sorry I just forgot not to be a total t#*t', maybe?

[xilddx]

[quote name='hubrad' post='546521' date='Jul 21 2009, 02:40 PM']Negligence like 'sorry I just forgot not to be a total t#*t', maybe?[/quote]

I think CK means not throwing it in the bush "carefully".

[tauzero]

[quote name='KevB' post='546379' date='Jul 21 2009, 01:17 PM']Problem is that often rehearsal studios are in either slightly dodgy areas or remote 'industrial unit' type places and casual thieves soon get to know about them.[/quote]
Robanna's in Birmingham has some druggie drop-in place just nearby, and you can always see window glass somewhere on the street. I suspect the two may not be unconnected. But I drive a tatty Mondeo estate or a tatty Ka, and don't leave stuff in view. OP has my sympathy, I've been lucky enough never to have an instrument stolen and know it would be a real blow if any of mine were.

[mike257]

Muchos sympathy mate. I had someone make off with my Stingray, straight off the stand and out of a fire door, just after I came off stage at a gig once. Luckily, someone saw him, and he dumped it in some undergrowth just off the street when he realised we were chasing him. Miraculously, there wasn't a scratch or a mark on it, but it was a scary moment.

Hope the perp gets what he deserves, and that you can get your bass fixed up too!

[chrkelly]

It makes me sick the lengths some people will go to. The effort it takes to run away with a double bass! What the **** was he thinking?

Your stuff's never safe anywere though. I did a gig at the theatre Champs Elysees in Paris last year and some guy walked in, straight past the security guard, and down to the dressing rooms (which are not easy to find) and made off with everyone's valuables. Luckily we were playing the gig at the time so all the instruments were on stage. I always stick my bag in the flightcase side stage now.

[Aussiephoenix]

personally, I dont think the tatty rag thing works for you, more against you really...
if I was a thief scoping out cars, and found something carefully covered with a blanket, I'd naturally assume there was something worth hiding, therefore, stealing in there...

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I ha my car broken into whilst playing a charity freebie gig. i'd left the faceplate of the 8 year old sony cd player on and the scroat had tried to get the stereo out leaving screwdriver marks around it. he'd never have got is as it was fitted properly with the security bolt at the back. Stangely the ashdown Mag cab & head on the back seat were completely ignored.

Also in a previous life as a student radiographer I provided the music for an end of year party which was open to all hospital staff. I wasn't a proper DJ so I was using a (fairly expensive) portable stereo into my bass amp. Someone set off a fire alarm and as everyone evacuated down the main stairs a scroats made off down the back fire escape with my stereo, walkman, tapes etc. I recognised him by sight and knew which department he worked in and shouted after him that I'd be speaking to his manager in sterile supplies in the morning. He sheepishly returned 20mins later denying all knowlege of the theft and saying he left his jacket behind (which he hadn't) the police turned up soon after and my version was verified by people who hadn't seen him making off with the gear but said they had and he eventually admitted that he had taken it all and tossed it over a fence. When he retrieved all the now damaged gear to give it all back I told him to keep it and I'd take the price of new replacements if he wanted to keep his job. I got the money within a few days. And I still told his manager the full story.

[sdgrsr400]

Ah yes, the fire alarm diversion: very devious.

Is there any practical way of securing instruments in a performance situation? For items like portable PC's I've seen things like locking cables and tamper alarms, but haven't seen much regarding instruments. We seem to want to believe that everyone is just there for the love of music, but unfortunately that isn't always the case.