By Zicpraiz 
More than $70K in music equipment stolen from East Austin recording studio
Austin police are investigating the theft of nearly $70,000 worth of music equipment from a recording studio in East Austin. The stolen items include more than 20 guitars.
Musicians heading to work at Paradise Lunch Studios in East Austin walked into a crime scene on Monday, Jan. 27. “All of the guitars were stolen, so close to 20 guitars. The doors had been broken down,” said musician Jeff Klein.
Klein says the items belonged to three different musicians, including him. “It feels like it was premeditated to some extent. You know, not that we know the situation, but it’s a lot of bulk to move out of a house and under the cover of night. We were just all shocked at the mass amount of stuff that was taken,” said Klein.
Klein says when the thieves forced entry, the music studio had been in the process of updating the alarm system. “That was totally just torn apart, pulled out of the battery, disconnected, just everything torn out. And they broke through all the walls, broke through the doors and stole all the guitars and just left it open.”
The musicians reported the burglary to the Austin Police Department and began searching for online listings and contacting pawn shops. APD says they have entered the guitar serial numbers into the system and detectives will be alerted if any of the stolen items were to be sold to a pawn shop.
The guitars have not been found yet. Klein told that he does have insurance on the equipment and he has also put in surveillance following the burglary.
The guitars hold sentimental value for the musicians, with some having been purchased during their touring careers or given to them by family members. “Some of them we got from parents that are no longer with us. Some of them we’ve bought throughout our touring career along the way. Some of these we’ve made important records to ourselves and other people with on them. We just want our stuff back,” Klein said.