
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, December 1, 1994                   TAG: 9412010115
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BAND PLAYS ON, DESPITE BURGLARY

Nothing can quiet the Cave Spring Junior High School band. Not even burglars who stole all of the instruments from its percussion section.

Thanksgiving morning, a school custodian discovered someone had slipped through an unlocked window in the band room and taken the equipment overnight.

"They apparently knew what they were after," said Principal Steve Boyer.

Only two cabinets, filled with percussion and stereo equipment, were broken into. The would-be musicians took off with about $3,600 of drums, synthesizers, cymbals, maracas, microphones and mixers.

Anything that might have had fingerprints on it was gone, said Roanoke County Detective Chris Nielsen. Police have no suspects.

But the junior high band hasn't missed a beat. Students have brought in their own instruments, and members of the Roanoke Valley Community Band have loaned equipment.

That help has allowed the band to play on, Boyer said. It will perform as scheduled next Wednesday at Cave Spring High School.

Anyone with information is asked to call Nielsen at 561-8102.

by CNB