It appears there are some nasty kleptomaniacs still skulking around Melbourne, with a local band having been robbed of a staggering $17,000 worth of music gear after it was stolen earlier this week.

The Annie Crooners, a hard-rockin’ six-piece that are based in Melbourne, report that “3 of us got our cars broken into last night and all our gear was stolen,” in a Facebook post pleading to their fans. The magnitude is disgustingly large, with over 30 essential items having been taken from the three vehicles overnight on Sunday 22nd of June, in the northern Melbourne suburb of Thornbury.

Among the list of stolen equipment is an expansive list of drum equipment (snares, hi-hats and cymbal stands, crash and splash cymbals, and a lime green fading to black five-piece drum kit); a pair of guitars, including a very unique Puresalem Tomcat (veneer floorboard colour), one of “only two in Australia” the Annie Crooners note. 

As the comprehensive Facebook post details, other gear pinched in the $17k tally includes amps and a multitude of costly miscellaneous items spanning from whammys, tuners and pedals – of which includes a custom “home made wooden pedal board that is spray painted black with the word ‘crooners’ spray painted in dark green on the front.”

(Source: Facebook)

Despite the vast majority of their musical gear having been flogged, the band are remaining optimistic, announcing a couple of ass-kickin’ demos on their Bandcamp page (that are definitely worth giving a spin) following the theft.

With their next gig set for Saturday 19th July at Thornbury’s Tago Mago, the sextet do stress the urgency of having as much as their gear returned as possible, calling upon anyone and everyone to keep their eyes peeled and their ears wide open for anything on the missing equipment.
(Source: Facebook)

Anybody with information on any of these stolen items should contact Police at Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at https://www.police.vic.gov.au/.

We really wish that there was more distance since we last reported a local band being robbed; the theft of Cash Savage and the Last Drinks’ music gear in late March.

That’s not to mention a string of recent instances of music robbery, including a pair making off with a stack of vinyl from a Melbourne barSoundwave 2014’s Finnish rockers HIM being robbed at a Melbourne sideshow, and the recovery of a $25,000 guitar after being pinched from a music store.

As one of the strongest music communities in the country, we’ve got to work together to ensure there is no market for stolen goods. Support the music around us – don’t rob it.

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