I hope that karma is a very real thing and that it visits those bastards. I hope your insurance is close to adequate. 
 
Why would anyone steal a backup drive, unless they had plans to return it / ransom it?
 
Are there any local pawn shops? 
 
Good luck, hombre, you deserve better.
 
-Tom

So sorry Dave...  that hits where it hurts.  I've had expensive guitars stolen also (from under my beds) and open money and wallet with credit cards on the desk left alone. NO ONE knew about the guitars except close friends.  From seeing this stuff personally and other instances, someone KNEW it was there to take everything and unfortunately, it may be another musician to take ONLY the music stuff.  You weren't burglarized... someone came to get what they knew you had.
Again so sorry.  You sound like the top candidate this shouldn't happen to with all you give back with your knowledge and music.

Hey Dave ... just reading this thread now ... horrible!

bitflipper
New development. I think I know who robbed me.
It was the neighbors. My stuff may be in their house right now but there is nothing I can do. We found their exit path, over the back fence and straight to their house. Had the cops back and showed them the footprints and new gash on the wood fence top. All they can do is look up the address and see if there are known baddies living there. They did not answer the door when I knocked this morning, even though there were lights an TV on inside.
It may not be today or tomorrow, but retribution WILL be mine.

I think the Police could drop by on the premise that the perps went through their yard so they wanted to see if the people living there knew anything.
 
As for retribution, I would propose hanging them upside down by their ankles then force-feeding them Ex-Lax until they drown.

I hope the US criminal justice system treats burglary more seriously than the UK.

There have been reports here of the police not even coming to the site and the courts treat it as trivial, not considering the devastating effect on victims.

bitflipper
Sometime between 11 last night and 4 this morning my office/studio was cleaned out. All musical instruments, amps, studio monitors, mikes, even my sub - all gone. Computers, along with SONAR and every sample library (backed up but they took my backup drive too). I am so screwed. Yes, I have insurance, but that wont replace 10 years of projects.
Just needed to rant.
 
 
 
 

Sorry for you, bit.
I don´t want to imagine what this would matter to me.
 
There seems to be no way then a new and fresh start,
don´t know this  is for you.
 
regards 

Stay on the cops - my experience is they tend to do the minimum to get by. I once had to go to the local TV station and they offered to do a story on my situation (looong story on this one - one of the first identity thefts in Nebraska). I went back to the head of detectives, told him that I had handed his detective the perp but he did nothing and that I was going to do a news interview later that day.
 
The thief was picked up that afternoon and went to jail for something like 6-10 years...

I just can't find the words....
With every cell in body I hope the theft gets solved, the perpetrators are skinned alive and rolled
in salt. ( And that's not hate-talk, that was the humane version).

Sickening Dave...  So sorry...

I'm real sorry to hear about what happened too you Dave ....
Honestly , it kicked up some unresolved stuff I have went through in the past ....
I don't know what to say ,
Other than if you get desperate and you need a loaner Squier Strat or something to bang away on .
I don't know what else I can offer ....
I'm always a week a two away from looking at my dogs 50 dollar monthly bag of kibble and wondering if I can survive on that myself if I had too ,
 
all the best ,
 
Kenny
 

smallstonefan
Stay on the cops - my experience is they tend to do the minimum to get by. I once had to go to the local TV station and they offered to do a story on my situation (looong story on this one - one of the first identity thefts in Nebraska). I went back to the head of detectives, told him that I had handed his detective the perp but he did nothing and that I was going to do a news interview later that day.
 
The thief was picked up that afternoon and went to jail for something like 6-10 years...

At this point, I think James has the right idea to put pressure on the cops to do their job. Even if you're not planning on going to do a news interview, saying that to the cops might "push" them to be more active. Play this out smart/legal and don't try to take "retribution" on your own.......last thing you want is to lowering your standards and end up being like them.
 
What would be great to have is some video of them (if they're are the thieves) trying to move this stuff out of their house......   

Quick question: how do you change your password on this forum? (I'm changing all my passwords on everything I can think of) I see lots of fields in the user control panel, but can't seem to find where to change my password.

Dave, I am sorry. Wow. What a violation. I hate a thief.
What the heck is wrong with the police?? Stuff was stolen, they have evidence telling them who did it, what's their problem?
 
Count me MAD along with you. I hope this works out really soon and you get your stuff back and they go to prison where they belong. This is one of the dangers of living even a little bit isolated. It happens around here all the time. It's usually rural homes on a county road where they can load up and leave quickly. This is different, your neighbor... wow. I just don't understand why the police didn't sit right there while they called for a warrant. Do they expect a bribe before they do their job?

I expect to see a good post from you soon, that you got your stuff back and they rode away in the back of a police car. You should be armed and watchful with neighbors like this. Who knows what they might try if they get in trouble. They are either really bold or really stupid or both.
J

I once witnessed a guy jump off his bike, beat the snot out of a tourist couple, get back on his bike and cycle off. I took a very clear photo of him as he rode away. Went back to the scene a little later and found a couple of cops questioning the couple. They were attempting to describe him. So I waited for a quiet moment and said, very respectfully, "excuse me sir? Can I have a quick word? I have a photo of the perp." He snapped at me "Not interested. Mind your business." The look on the faces of the tourists was incredible.

This morning, as it happens, I was downtown testifying in front of a grand jury. Last week, from my window, I witnessed a guy beat another guy half to death with a wooden chair. He's now in hospital, paralyzed on one half of his body. The perp is part of a group of scumbags who hang out under some scaffold that's around an empty building across the street. They have been terrorizing the block for over 3 years - constant fights and constant shouting. They urinate in the street, yell at and threaten passers by and generally menace all and sundry. I have complained to the cops dozens of times and they tell me that unless they witness something themselves, they can't make an arrest. So this morning in the DA's office they showed me a very clear video of the assault. Turns out there has always been a camera under this scaffold and it gets everything. And yet the cops have never done anything about it. The DA told me that over the last couple of years, the NYPD has been rendered a spent force by the plague of political correctness (De Blasio, naturally!) which deems it "wrong" to arrest people of disadvantaged or "marginalized" backgrounds. So basically the scum is running riot again. Gone are the days when the police actually understood their role in society.

Geez, that sucks! Sorry to hear about your loss.
 
I would also suggest contacting your city councilman. Perhaps they can put pressure on the police to be more proactive. The tracks to their house would seem like more than enough proof for probable cause and the police should act on it. The police may also find evidence of other burglaries as you know it is probably not their first time.