Tuba Theft On The Rise
Musicians: Lock up your tubas!
That’s because a growing number of high schools are reporting tuba thefts these days. In fact, many thieves are breaking into school band rooms and leaving every instrument behind except the tubas.
Why tubas? Experts say the most likely reason is that thieves are after the highly valued brass metal. For those who don’t know, tubas are huge, with some measuring up to 18 feet long! So, that’s a lot of brass that could potentially be melted down and sold,
Also, experts say there’s been a resurgence of tuba-based music in Hispanic communities this year. So, demand for the instruments is especially high right now. When you consider that a used tuba can cost more than a used car, it’s easy to understand why thieves are targeting them to sell on the black market.
As you might expect, school officials say what’s heartbreaking about this trend is that many recent thefts happened during the holidays, as students were preparing for their last performances of the year. For example: Ruben Gonzales is the band director at South Gate High School in Los Angeles. He describes the recent theft of five tubas as “demoralizing.” He says to have any instrument get stolen is, quote, “a real kick in the gut,” but today, the tuba is the hardest instrument to replace!
That’s because a growing number of high schools are reporting tuba thefts these days. In fact, many thieves are breaking into school band rooms and leaving every instrument behind except the tubas.
Why tubas? Experts say the most likely reason is that thieves are after the highly valued brass metal. For those who don’t know, tubas are huge, with some measuring up to 18 feet long! So, that’s a lot of brass that could potentially be melted down and sold,
Also, experts say there’s been a resurgence of tuba-based music in Hispanic communities this year. So, demand for the instruments is especially high right now. When you consider that a used tuba can cost more than a used car, it’s easy to understand why thieves are targeting them to sell on the black market.
As you might expect, school officials say what’s heartbreaking about this trend is that many recent thefts happened during the holidays, as students were preparing for their last performances of the year. For example: Ruben Gonzales is the band director at South Gate High School in Los Angeles. He describes the recent theft of five tubas as “demoralizing.” He says to have any instrument get stolen is, quote, “a real kick in the gut,” but today, the tuba is the hardest instrument to replace!
