Popular Cleveland cover band says van, all gear stolen

CLEVELAND — A popular Cleveland cover band said it had thousands of dollars worth of musical equipment stolen. The band's trailer van was taken on July 27, with all of its gear inside.

"The equipment is gone, $40,000 worth of equipment just out the window," said Bobby Huffman, lead singer of Trailer Park Ninjas.

Huffman said at around 2:30 a.m., someone broke into the van and pushed it with another car about a mile and a half down the road.

The van was taken off Detroit Avenue behind the Bradley-Templin lofts. A band member's iPad tracked the van a few miles away off W. 41st Street and Denison Avenue. When band members found the van, it was empty and damaged.

"We do have some detectives on the case, so we're working that angle. We've got lots of followers who are keeping an eye on our stuff," Huffman said.

The band almost didn't make it to their gig in Canton at the Hall of Fame weekend celebration. Other musicians across Cleveland, even from other states, lent equipment to make sure the band could perform.

"For us to hear ourselves, we had to pick this up from a band in Pittsburgh," said lead guitarist and vocalist Daniel Carballal.

Caraballal said without coordination with other bands and people, they would have to cancel indefinitely.

Cymbals, amps, guitars, wireless microphones and other crucial tools need to be returned.

"This has to go back out after this weekend, so we're going to be pretty much repeating the process," Carballal said.

That leaves "The Ninjas" in limbo for a list of gigs booked out nine months in advance.

"This is a big part of how we make a living. We've got weddings where people are relying on us to not just be the band but be the DJ, be the emcee," Huffman said. "If someone can just give us a tip where it is, we'll take it, where the equipment is, and we'll turn our heads."

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