Police are continuing to investigate after £40,000 of musical instruments were stolen from Omega Music in Brampton, Cumbria.
More than 230 items, mainly orchestral instruments, were stolen in the raid, after suspects cut a hole in the roof. It’s thought the suspects ripped out the lining of a huge double bass case to transport loads of saxophones, clarinets, flutes, trumpets and French horns from an attic warehouse to a waiting van on Carlisle Road. Staff believe as much as a transit van load of equipment was taken. The thieves managed to get away without setting off the alarm and there is no trace of them coming in to the estate on CCTV.
The highest value instrument was a Yanagisawa saxophone, worth £3,000. Other brands included Selmar, Elkhart, Buffet and Howarth.
Ian Warnes, owner of Omega Music, told The Cumberland News: “It’s as if they knew precisely where the sensors were, but they could have been lucky. They were very clever. They didn’t come into the car park. They slid all the instruments down the bank onto the main road.”
The local paper generated some widespread publicity for the case with its headline “Orchestral Removers in the Dark”. which was shared on social media by members of the band OMD.
Cumbria Police are continuing to appeal for anyone with information to contact 101 quoting log 49 of 15th November. Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555111.