Police: Thieves steal guitar and saxophone from local jazz band

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Police are searching for two thieves who stolen instruments worth more than $10,000, but to the musicians the instruments were priceless.

The band is Amber Rae and the Swinging Foxes. On Saturday night, they had just wrapped up a gig at the Red Lady Pop Up Jazz Club in East Falls when they came outside to find the car with their instruments inside had been broken into.

"It's hard to describe the emotions you have. lt's like almost you're in shock as if you were in an accident," a heartbroken Pete Souders told FOX 29 Tuesday night.

We spoke to Souders over the phone Tuesday night. He lost his cherished 50-year-old Tenor saxophone. His fellow musician lost his Gibson ES165 Herb Ellis Sunburst guitar. The instruments estimated value--over $10,500.

"You don't really understand what this instrument means to us--to me,"Souders said .

The thieves were captured on video by surveillance cameras as they left the crime scene along Ridge Avenue. They can be seen walking away carrying cases containing the valuable instruments.

"Obviously, we want to bring these guys in and hold them accountable, but ideally we can recover the items that were stolen," Philadelphia Police Captain Sekou Kinebrew said.

"For me it was my bread and butter horn, and for Andy it was his bread and butter guitar," Souders explained.

Souders has been a fixture on the Philly jazz circuit for years. He owned Ortlieb's Jazzhaus on North 3rd Street in Northern Liberties for 20 years before selling it in 2007. Losing his Tenor sax is like losing a close friend.

"For the horn, it's almost impossible to replace exactly the same horn to play it for that long,it almost becomes a part of you," Souders added. "Please just return it."

Detectives are checking local pawn shops and online sites for the instruments. The musicians and their friends have also posted pictures of the instruments online hoping someone might have information on their whereabouts.

Finally, thefts from cars are the only crime that's up this year. Police urge you not to leave anything of value in your vehicles.