A trailer loaded with $60,000 worth of musical instruments belonging to the Little Rock Wind Symphony was stolen from the parking lot of Second Presbyterian Church early Monday morning.
A church employee called a Wind Symphony official to report the vehicle was missing from the parking lot of the church, where the group has concerts. A review of security video showed a Chevy pickup pulling the trailer off the lot about 1:30 a.m. It has not been recovered.
The thief had bolt cutters to cut chains and bolts that were supposed to secure the trailer, which held percussion instruments and music stands. The trailer had been loaded for a concert Thursday at the church. It held more than usual because the symphony had just been notified of the end of its use of a local school as a rehearsal site and had cleared remaining instruments. Some expensive instruments — a marimba, for one — and the bass drum were taken to private homes so managed to avoid the loss.
Brenda Barber, executive director of the Symphony, said musicians will borrow instruments from other bands to do the concert Thursday night. The loss is insured, though it’s uncertain if it will cover replacement cost because the equipment will be depreciated, based on past experience.
She said police believe the thief was after the 7-by-12-foot trailer, which could be repainted and sold. It had a value of $2,300. The five sets of tympani, chimes (essential presumably to Thursday night’s “Carol of the Bells”), bongos, castanets, snare drums and other percussion instruments won’t be of much value at resale because anybody who’d want them likely would suspect they were stolen.
The concert is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Second Presbyterian on Pleasant Valley Drive at Cantrell Road. It’s the annual Christmas concert, “A Festival of Carols,” with soprano soloist Laura Eads, the Roberts Elementary School Choir and the Wind Symphony Brass Choir. Admission is $10. Additional donations are always welcome — particularly this year.