Philly band Spirit of the Beehive's gear stolen twice in Seattle
SEATTLE - The Philadelphia-based indie rock band Spirit of the Beehive is reeling after their tour van was stolen not once, but twice during their Seattle stop, along with much of their equipment and merchandise.
The band, currently on tour, woke up in Seattle to discover that their fully padlocked and booted van and trailer were stolen overnight. Despite finding the trailer later in the day, nearly all of their equipment, including instruments, merchandise and essential gear for their live shows, had been taken.
"We were definitely in a bad way very emotional," shared bandmate, Corey Wichlin. "We definitely lost a lot of sentimental and irreplaceable stuff."
The theft, which occurred on the night of Oct. 5, resulted in the loss of key items such as guitars, amplifiers, synthesizers and recording equipment. Among the stolen gear were rare instruments like a Gibson SG Junior, Epiphone Casino, and Fender Kurt Cobain signature Jaguar, as well as laptops containing crucial files for their live performances.
In an unusual twist, after the van was impounded by Seattle Police Department following its recovery, it was stolen a second time from the impound lot, adding to the band's already substantial losses. Police are still investigating both incidents.
Spirit of the Beehive, known for their unique blend of indie rock and experimental soundscapes, has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help recoup their losses. The band estimates damages totaling over six figures, including lost equipment, show cancelations, and travel costs.
A GoFundMe page, organized by band member Corey Wichlin, stated:
The stolen van, a 2012 Navy Blue Ford E350 XL with license plate LTB3679, is still missing. Police are asking residents to keep an eye out for the vehicle and any of the band’s gear.
The Spirit of the Beehive had to cancel the remainder of their tour due to the incident.
Fans are encouraged to donate via GoFundMe to support the band as they recover from the loss.
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