Larkspur. Stolen Instruments

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST,Rachel
Date: 22 Mar 15 - 05:08 AM

Thanks all for your advice. Suppose it's now a case of watching and waiting, whilst trying not to become too obsessive in scouring the ads!

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: Leadfingers
Date: 21 Mar 15 - 02:17 PM

Back in the good old days , one of the lads turned up at Portaferry without his Irish Pipes . The Thief only put them up on E Bay a fortnight later !!

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST,freespiritceol
Date: 21 Mar 15 - 10:34 AM

Hi Rachael just a thought but when a friend of ours had her melodion stolen, i place some wanted adds on done deal, exchange and mart etc. I didn't have any success but it might be worth a try. Good luck, sorry to hear about this, it's a rotten thing to do to any musician. Regards John

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST,Rachel
Date: 20 Mar 15 - 03:22 PM

Will look into the possibility of getting these on some sort of register.
@ Roger the Skiffler, good advice. Stable doors, maybe, but I never want to be in this position again.

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 20 Mar 15 - 12:35 PM

I suppose if you were buying an instrument it would be nice to be able to check something in a couple of clicks but life is never that simple is it.

Some people twitter hashtag stolenguitar

I noticed a couple of US registration sites
stolenguitarregistry
GEARTRACK
and a UK one musicalinstrumentsales

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Mar 15 - 11:39 AM

"Is there such a thing as a lost and stolen instruments website where all information on this is centralised? "
there have been several set up over the years but people prefer to use social media.

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST,#
Date: 20 Mar 15 - 11:17 AM

In the unlikely event the thieves had any karma left before the theft, they ain't got none left now.

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 20 Mar 15 - 10:59 AM

I know it is "stable door" but when looking at insurance look at Musician's Union- they understand band's transport needs & offer suitable cover.

RtS

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 20 Mar 15 - 10:43 AM

I'm happy to hear you are fighting back, Rachel.

I think it would be worth it to send a letter or make a call to the pawnshops within a few miles of the theft. Just think how many items there must be on the list which goes to the whole nation.

I have read that criminals don't like to leave familiar territory. Chances are, if they take the instruments to a pawnshop, it will be a pawnshop nearby.

Also, a pawnshop in an iffy neighborhood might not be among "the 90%."

You have my sympathy. I know how bad I would feel if I lost my instruments.

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 20 Mar 15 - 10:36 AM

re Thompson : lost and stolen instruments

Gosh, quite a lot on a quick google : lost and stolen instruments
I wonder how effective they are?

I know, from when I had a bike stolen, how much misery it causes. I spent months thinking "!That's my... oh no. !That's my... oh no."

I guess Rachel & co will spend years looking intently at guitars mandolins recorders... :(

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: Thompson
Date: 20 Mar 15 - 04:57 AM

Is there such a thing as a lost and stolen instruments website where all information on this is centralised?

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 20 Mar 15 - 04:45 AM

Its a long shot but some home insurance policies cover things out of the home. Worth checking - still not the same as having your own instruments though.
Its a reminder to the rest of us to Photo our instruments and label internally if possible. Hope your search works out.
Our PA man used to always stay with his equipment - reckoned the mikes were what got stolen.
We carry public liability insurance. Someone one day will trip over a cable lead or a speaker leg. We hope its not one of ours but just in case.
We should all lobby for instrument makes to always include a unique code on each instrument.
    FloraG.

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: CupOfTea
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 10:14 PM

I hope your instruments are returned to you. My friends think I'm a bit excessive when I haul my instruments along when we go to eat after a dance, but I know I can't replace my Goose Acres autoharp & an equivalent instrument is now about twice what I paid for that. Your story encourages me to not let up on being very careful with what I can't afford to loose.

best luck & wishing for thieves who don't have a clue about how the music community watch out for their own.

Joanne in Cleveland

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST,Rachel
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 03:53 PM

Sorry, I keep forgetting to post my name. Need to join!

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 03:48 PM

Thanks for that, Breezy. Yes, I have a crime number.The police think it was an opportunistic theft as the instruments were not on view. Presumably, they were after tools.
I've sent photos and descriptions of the instruments to the organisation regulating 90 per cent of pawn shops in the UK. They will be sending an alert to them all. Unfortunately, this isn't a guarantee that people working in them will be honest.
I've also notified all the local music shops and am watching ebay.
I've also managed to get an article about this to be published in some local newspapers too next week.
I figure the more publicity, the better.
I am uninsured due to not properly checking the terms and conditions of my policy. I was also complacent in leaving them in the van in the first place.
Hindsight is a great thing. I can't begin to convery what it feels like to have loved instruments being in the hands of someone else. Material things, I know, but I am feeling the loss.
On a positive, if there is one to be found in all of this, I have supportive friends and I will ensure that I am never going to be in this position again and urge any musicians out there to learn from this lesson and get your instruments properly insured and don't take risks with them!

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: breezy
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 02:34 PM

but it was a merc .
I've shared to my f-book .
A friend lost equipment as he was loading his vehicle from a gig.
Do you have a crime number ?
Perhaps they were a band and wanted to upgrade.
Wishing you a speedy recovery

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 02:13 PM

The stuff was all out of sight in the back of a Mercedes Vito with blacked out windows

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 01:59 PM

guest sam pirt used to have an ex police van complete with custody cage dont think he ever had anything stolen alan cox

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 10:56 AM

Sorry to hear about that and hope you get your stuff back ASA.

Just a wee caution re insurance: even if you HAVE got all risks insurance for your instruments, most companies will not pay out if instruments are left on view in the car: must be out of sight in a locked boot. Choose your vehicle to allow for this!

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 10:56 AM

The Breedlove and the Hathway are worth enough that pawnshops are probably not the most likely outlet.

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 10:21 AM

Don't fret about the witnesses. Thieves capable of going off with that number of instruments probably opened the van so easily and smoothly that they didn't look like thieves to passers-by.


Go back to the area and put up posters offering a reward. The thieves are probably not interested in playing the instruments. They just want some money for drugs.

Talk to pawnshops in the area.

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 03:59 AM

'Dreadful grammar, my apologies...

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST,Rachel
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 03:58 AM

'Twas in broad daylight...in front of witnesses that didn't seem fit to contact the police :(

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Mar 15 - 08:02 PM

Sh*t.... that's really bad news Rachel and Gary. .... another lesson learned is 'don't gi to Deptford after dark!

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Mar 15 - 06:03 PM

Yes...Definitely want one! Gary's accordion wasn't stolen....

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 18 Mar 15 - 05:49 PM

Well, I can understand being moderately happy (James very so) about the fiddle, but are you SURE you want a hurdy-gurdy?

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST,Rachel
Date: 18 Mar 15 - 03:57 PM

Ahhh..thank you so much for making that link a live one x

Subject: RE: Larkspur. Stolen Instruments
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 Mar 15 - 03:52 PM

https://www.facebook.com/Larkspurfolkband

Link to the Facebook site. Pictures posted there of the instruments.

Subject: Larkspur Folk Band. Stolen |Instruments, South Ea
From: GUEST,Rachel
Date: 18 Mar 15 - 03:36 PM

A long shot, I know, but yesterday my van was broken into in Deptford, South East London and thieves made off with 3 guitars, a mandolin and a wooden recorder.
The guitars in question are:

My lovely Breedlove American D20/SM accoustic, fitted with a Fishman pickup.

A Tanglewood TW47B electro-accoustic, mahogany with tortoiseshell binding and scratchplate.

A Tanglewood TW60. Dark sunburst design with 6 extra holes drilled into the headstock (don't ask!)

The mandolin in question is my beautiful Paul Hathway ( has a light shrinkage crack on the front of the body)

and a Meinel Maple descant recorder.

Lessons to be learnt:
ENSURE THAT YOUR INSTRUMENTS ARE PROPERLY INSURED.
DON'T BE COMPLACENT AND LEAVE INSTRUMENTS UNNATENDED IN VANS, EVEN FOR A SHORT TIME.

I am devasted at the loss, and angry at myself for not checking on my van insurance whilst carrying this gear. As I am not insured, I will never be able to afford to replace these instruments, but am grateful to a friend who is lending me some of his to tide our band over.
I am only grateful that my bandmate's fiddle and hurdy gurdy weren't in the van.

If any of you lovely UK people, especially people in the South East could keep your eyes open on your travels, or alternatively if you are on Facebook, you could click on our link and share our status I would be so grateful.                     https://www.facebook.com/Larkspurfolkband

Thank you

Rachel xx