One-of-a-kind piece of musical equipment stolen

By Lincoln Graves KATU News Published: Oct 31, 2012 at 12:09 AM PDT Last Updated: Oct 31, 2012 at 12:53 AM PDT
One-of-a-kind piece of musical equipment stolen »Play Video
Caleb Cox owns many unique instruments, including several different types of bagpipes. He ordered a special piece for a bagpipe, called a chanter that cost $700. But someone stole it right off his front porch.

KELSO, Wash. – Caleb Cox is hoping for the quick return of a one-of-a-kind piece of musical equipment.

It was in a package delivered to his home, but that package was stolen right off his front porch. It contained a $700 chanter, which is the key piece on a set of bagpipes that make some of the most memorable movie soundtracks possible – the theme from the movie Braveheart, for instance.

Cox recently ordered a new chanter, which makes different melodies possible on the bagpipes. It took him six months to save up the money for it and another three months for a Scottish pipe maker to craft it.

Cox is convinced whoever took it doesn’t know what it is.

"Unless a person is a bagpipe player or has a fascination with musicology, world instruments, most people would look at it and think it's some kind of flute," he said. "I think they would either hock it, pawn it or throw it in a dumpster, which I hope the latter didn't happen." 

He's spoken to local pawn shops. They say they'd never be interested in such an item because it has such a limited purpose. Cox says there are only 15 people in the world who make this specific piece.

With little value to anyone outside the world of bagpipes, Cox is hoping the thief will return it. There was insurance on the chanter, but it only covers the raw materials used to make it – less than $100.