Tracing a stolen instrument


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Posted by Tom Mason on January 30, 2002 at 14:40:50:

As many of us have read over the week about the stolen tuba in the D.C. area, I thought about some ideas that are useful to law enforcement when it comes to quickly identifying a stolen musical instrument. Some of thse will be painful to your thoughts in the beginning, but in the long ren they will help.

1. Take pictures of your horn. Include front, back, and sides. Get a closeup of the valve cluster including valve stem/buttons or rotor paddles.

2. Record all serial numbers and make a drawing of your horn showing where the serial number is located. Also note on the drawing the model numbers, valve numbers, and locations of such.

3. Make a list of visible damage or markings on the horn, and show on drawing.

4. If you are brave, etch your serial nember and another identifying number or word in a less conspicuous place on the horn. Some manufacturers etch the date of production and the initials of the inspector on one of the slides. You can also etch the serial number and your name, or some other meaningful piece of data on a slide. (Not on the outside of the slide where a thief can see it and sand over.

5. Keep all of this information in a safe and accessable place. Make copies so that you can give the entire collection to the investigationg agency.

6. Report the theft of the instrument immediately. If someone reported a stolen tuba while I was on patrol, I would stop all people carrying tubas. I would be legally able to search all tubas and get descriptions from the stolen property report. If I catch the thief in a short amount of time, you get your horn back. This idea goes for traffic stops where I might see a tuba in the cas as well as the thief on foot.

7. Search for the stolen property yourself. report the instrument to the law enforcement agency of you find it in a pawn shop. Do not argue with a pawn shop owner over ownership of the horn. Do not try to take the horn from an individual. Make the call and tell the department that you have found your tuba and it is at a certain location. Let the police do the dirty work.

No, not all law enforcement agents know the difference beteen one instrument and another. You have to help by giving as detailed account and description as possible. For the D.C. tubaplayer, I just had a 6 string fretless carvin bass on a custom made body stolen from me during Christmas break, after loading my truck at the end of a gig. I followed all of these proceedures, and I still do not have it back. I am not holding my breath either. I am truely sorry about the situation, and I hope that this will help others keep track of their property. These hints will help even the odds of getting your property returned.

Tom Mason
Band Director; South Pemiscot High School, Steele, Missouri
Reserve Sergeant; Osceola, Arkansas Police Department
Freelance musician; Memphis, Tennessee area


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