Equipment theft - Coventry

[Ynot]

Just had a call from one of our regular users who runs singing lessons from a church hall in Coventry - he brings his showcases to us every year (and turns out some pretty decent shows when he does) as well as a couple of other smaller shows, plays and a panto there.

 

However, the hall was burgled last night and pretty much everything technical he had stored there was stolen.

 

Amps, speakers, radio mics, small LX desk, laptop and more. All very neatly unplugged and removed through a single window.

 

 

 

 

So - on his behalf, can I appeal to anyone in the Coventry/Midlands area to keep an ear/eye open for anyone trying to pass on any gear in the next week or three please?

 

I don't have precise details as yet (his head is all over the shop at the mo so isn't thinking straight, as it also affects his ability to run his lessons which means he can't make any money) but once I do I'll update it here. But time in these things could be the essence when the feckers are trying to get rid of their ill gotten.

 

 

 

 

 

[dsharp7th]

What was the location Tony? Please pm if you don't want that detail public.

[Glyn Edwards]

Ditto

[J Pearce]

I'll keep eyes open in Brum.

[Ynot]

no problem posting the location.The gear was stolen from the Foleshill Road United reform church hall in Coventry.

Not much was high value kit but regardless of this it's stopping a good friend from earning a proper crust. :-(

[Young Johnstone]

A list of kit will be great if you can get one together! Any thing I see being sold on Facebook groups, I doubt instantly now! Which isn't good..

[Ynot]

Details are being prepped for me - the only thing I have at the moment is what was posted on FB earlier - I'm trying to clarify.

 

The equipment stolen includes; 3 amplifiers, 10 microphones (5 Clip mics and 5 hand held mics,including 2 radios.) a multichannel sound mixer, a laptop, Zero 88 Sirius 24 channel lighting desk in a custom built flight case, 3 six channel dimmer racks in a black wooden frame and bags of DMX/Mic cables.

 

 

 

[GridGirl]

Bastards. I'm much too far away for any of it to reach me, but I still have a few contacts in the UK so will spread the word.

[ianknight]

Details are being prepped for me - the only thing I have at the moment is what was posted on FB earlier - I'm trying to clarify.

 

The equipment stolen includes; 3 amplifiers, 10 microphones (5 Clip mics and 5 hand held mics,including 2 radios.) a multichannel sound mixer, a laptop, Zero 88 Sirius 24 channel lighting desk in a custom built flight case, 3 six channel dimmer racks in a black wooden frame and bags of DMX/Mic cables.

 

It's a real bugger to hear this - I've known Paul (who'd built up the lighting kit over many years) for ages - I worked with him at The Albany for years (I've also lit shows for Steve). We've got a long running joke between Paul & myself about the age of his kit and the steam engine he has to run to keep it going :P

 

Paul was ever so chuffed last year when he bought the Sirius - as he said "...a grown up lighting desk for me" - I've asked for a list too, being Sirius (and I think GG or Pulsar racks) some of it might end up in our shop.

 

Just not the right story to hear this time of year :(

[Ynot]

OK - update:

 

SIRIUS 24 (with DMX upgrade) in a almost new flight case. It's key is on a lanyard trapped behind the side panel of the desk.

3x Green Ginger Micro Pack 6 channel dimmers with twin 5A sockets. These are housed in a black, wooden frame, one on top of each other. (Not wide enough to fit in a standard 19" rack mount.)

3x large canvas holdalls blue/black of DMX IEC and mains leads along with safety bonds IEC splitters. All in very good conditions. Some have the name BLAZE around them.

 

Sound equipment includes;

Studio Master 16 channel sound mixer.

2x small 4 channel powered mixer/amps

1x Sennheiser cordless handheld mic.*

1x Sennheiser corded mic.

1x KAM cordless handheld mic.*

4x Shure Lavalier mics.*

1x Berringer effects unit.

*None of the radio recievers were taken..

The police forensic team has now finished I'm told, so they can check in more detail if anything else is gone.

[ianknight]

There's a DMX Smoke machine/Hazer to be added to the list as well - Paul is trying to find the make & model from the guy who owns it.

 

Paul sounded confident they could replace the Sirius and racks from eBay but he's considering running DMX all the way to the racks - if anyone comes across a Demux of some description that needs a home, then let myself or Ynot know and we'll get a message to him :)

[Young Johnstone]

Not trying to state the obvious, but keep your eyes peeled at all Cash Convertor style shops.

 

I hope you guys get some luck with this.. The thieves probably don't even understand half the kit they took.

Ba****ds

[Robin D]

Barstewards are everywhere at this time of year unfortunately. They can't be a_r_s_e_d to get off their posteriors and work. They just take any opportunity to nick anything they think they can flog on for a fix or a few quid. Even if its all insured, it the disruption, and all we honest folk still pay in ever-rising premiums.

[Ynot]

Not trying to state the obvious, but keep your eyes peeled at all Cash Convertor style shops.

Indeed, and I believe that the ol' Bill do the round robin of these types of establishments in some cases - trying to identify every cash-converter-esque outlet just in Cov City would be a rather tall order for an individual though... :(

 

List updated:

 

ZERO 88 SIRIUS 24 CHANNEL DMX UPGRADED LIGHTING CONSOLE in a CUSTOM BUILT BLACK FLIGHTCASE with ALUMINIUM TRIM.

3x 6 channel analogue GREEN GINGER MICRO PACKS in a custom black wooden frame.

3 large blue/black holdalls containing DMX LEADS of various lengths, IEC EXTENSION LEADS of various lengths, MAINS LEADS (13A TO IEC) SAFETY BOND WIRES.

Hazebase pro haze/smoke machine

Studio master 16 channel sound mixer

Peavy 12 channel mixer/amp

Pulse 4 channel mixer/amp

Studio line 4 channel mixer amp

Behringer multi effects unit

4 x Shure clip on type radio mics

2 x Wireless hand held mics (Sennheiser & Kam)

3 corded mics various makes

Fujitsu Siemens laptop computer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ynot]

Seems that the burglars weren't too clever - I gather that they left boot prints AND fingerprints on scene...

 

Whether they're 'known' to the authorities is unclear as yet, but certainly a step in the right direction :)

 

Also, the community has gotten behind this in a BIG way. Less than a day after the theft, past and present pupils of his singing lessons, his performing group and friends got behind a FB group and are even looking at planning a small fundraiser to cover his losses. Over £1000 has already been donated via that page, and offers of loan equipment have been made from several benefactors (including a couple of local Blue Roomers) all of which has overwhelmed the guy... :)

 

I was a little bemused that the average 'reach of a FB post on our theatre page is between 200 and 400 or so, which I reckon is people who've actually read the post. The one I posted on Monday regarding this theft has been shared and re-shared, and the reach for that currently stands at over 5,500! And still rising...

 

Don't you just love that warm feeling when a community actually gets together on something...?