Static-X + Dope Lose Nearly $200,000 Worth of Gear in Practice Space Robbery
Static-X and Dope had nearly $200,000 worth of musical equipment stolen from their joint practice space in Los Angeles while the bands are on a break amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Now, the two metal acts are asking for fans' help in retrieving the items and bringing the burglars to justice.
The groups have filed a police report with the LAPD, but they've also made public a photo list of the gear stolen from the shared warehouse space. That includes drum kits, lighting rigs and a large mixing console. Via Static-X's website, anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip about the theft.
"We want to encourage our community to keep a close eye on your property and … your facilities during this unprecedented time," Static-X shared in a press release on Monday (April 27). "We also ask for our fans to keep an eye out for the stolen items, and maybe we can help the police find these people."
Mused Static-X drummer Ken Jay, "With most of us in lockdown, and those who aren't locked down wearing masks in public, apparently it's a great time to be a thief."
Dope frontman Edsel Dope added, "Our bands are small businesses that have developed and refined our touring systems over [the] years. The amount of time and effort that has gone into building out the tech and AV production alone is hard to quantify. It's a lot of money. We own all of our own gear."
The musician continued, however, that the two veteran rock groups "recognize that there are far worse things happening around the world. We want to send out positive vibes to everyone in this crazy time. Stay safe, protect yourself from all the threats, and take care of each other."
Since 2018, Static-X have been performing together again with lead vocalist Xer0 taking the place of late bandleader Wayne Static. Dope joined the reunited act on tour in the United States as recently as last year.
25 Best Metal Albums of 2000