About £3,000 worth of equipment belonging to the Balstock charity music festival and its supporters has been stolen from a van parked in Baldock.

The Comet: G LaRoche, one of the organisers of Balstock.G LaRoche, one of the organisers of Balstock. (Image: Archant)

The gear had just been used for a Rhythms of the World fundraiser on Saturday night at St Mary’s Church in Hitchin, on loan from London Road Studios, Balstock and Shefford photographer and music fan Michael Rees.

The items stolen from the Ford Transit van parked at The Engine pub in Station Road between midnight and 8am on Sunday morning include a mixing desk, microphones and an iPad.

Balstock organiser G LaRoche told the Comet that he believed the locked van had been ‘opened with a special tool’.

“This is a harsh blow towards all that lost this equipment, and especially Balstock,” he said.

“Our volunteers work hard all year round so we can afford to put on a free music festival to aid charity and the local community.

“Along with our friends at London Road Studios and Club 85 in Hitchin we are seeing if we can squeeze in an extra ticketed fundraiser just to try and recoup these losses, although it’s unlikely we’ll raise £3,000 at this short notice.”

G also posted on social media: “To the person or persons that stole expensive equipment from my charity music festival, I have to tell you, I do not like you – and I know that hurts because there’s barely anybody I don’t like.

“I’d like to believe in karma so that I can be safe in the knowledge that at some point you’ll get yours.”

An open mic night at The Orange Tree in Baldock has been organised for next Thursday night to help raise money to replace the stolen equipment. Balstock is set to take place in September.

Amy Hopkins, chair of trustees at Rhythms of the World, said: “My sympathies go out to Richard and his team at London Road Studios, and also G and the committee of volunteers at Balstock.

“They, like us at Rhythms of the World, spend their free time volunteering to bring something positive to our towns and local area, where we can all come together and unite over the power of music and the arts, and celebrate all that is good with the world.

“We put blood and sweat into our events and it’s times like this where the tears kick in too, I’m afraid to say, due to a small group of bad, sad and negative people who in our experience can ruin a beautiful thing.

“We hope that whoever has done this is found and justice will be done.

“I have already been in touch with London Road Studios and G to offer Rhythms of the World’s support in any way we can, and try and turn this back round into something positive for them and us.”

Shane Wilson, one of Balstock’s organisers, said the stolen items included a Mackie DL wireless mixing desk with the serial number 2037199CRFD0306, an Apple iPad with the serial number DMPHXMKXDJ8T, three Pulse DI boxes, various microphones, cables and LED lights, and a Chauvet Obey lighting control desk.

Anyone with information should contact police on the non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference G3/16/328. Alternatively call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or use their anonymous online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.