Thieves steal North Carolina Central's band thunder

DURHAM, N.C. -- More than a dozen sousaphones were stolen from the band room at North Carolina Central University, officials said.

The instruments were taken sometime in December or early January.

The instruments – six Conn sousaphones and eight Jupiter sousaphones – are worth about $3,000 each. Along with the 14 sousaphones, thieves took trumpets, trombones, flutes and piccolos, some of which police have already recovered from area pawnshops.

A reward is offered.

Anyone with information about the thefts is asked to call NCCU Detective A.J. Carter at 560-5397, NCCU Detective Billy Boyd at 560-7365 or Crime Stoppers at 683-1200. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases and callers never have to identify themselves.

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NCCU Band is scheduled to perform at the Honda Battle of the Bands, Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA on January 26, 2008 03:00 PM. Also participating will be bands from:

Albany State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, Shaw University, Texas Southern University, Tuskegee University, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Virginia State University, Winston-Salem State University.

A band without a bass line (Sousaphones) is in a world of trouble in a band competition. Here is what the Eagle Band looked and sound like with the Sousaphones thumping at the bottom.

North Carolina Central University Marching Sound Machine Band with Sousaphones.