By Marika Garland

A flute, a trumpet and a cornet went missing from Storer Hall last week, adding to the number of recent thefts on campus. Steven Schmidt ’15 and Katie Finnigan ’15 (one of the Collegian’s design assistants) noticed their instruments missing from their locker when they arrived for a Kenyon College Symphonic Wind Ensemble rehearsal on Feb. 16.

Schmidt said he had left the locker unlocked but that it still appeared locked. “I guess someone tried all the lockers,” he said. “I don’t want to be worried about having to lock my things up.” Schmidt said he used to think of Kenyon as a place where those kinds of precautions were unnecessary.

“The Sheriff’s office is heading the investigation,” Director of Campus Safety Bob Hooper said. “We assist upon request as we can. … Most [thefts] occurring on campus are simply due to not locking individual rooms’ doors or storage areas.”

Professor of Music Claudio Re, who also directs the wind ensemble, said he is upset by the theft. “I’ve seen this happening in other places, and I don’t understand what the point is,” he said. “You won’t make that much money.”

The instruments cost over $2,000 in total when purchased years ago but would be worth much less now, according to Schmidt. “Their value was more sentimental than monetary,” he said.

Re said the most unfortunate part of the theft is that the instruments were student-owned. “The school luckily has instruments that [Schmidt and Finnigan] can check out at no cost,” he said. “The show must go on.”

Still, Schmidt said he would prefer to have his own instrument. “I’ve never played another trumpet,” he said.

The music department also saw a smaller theft earlier this week. A black leather case containing harp music and harp strings is missing, according to a student-info email from Donna Maloney, music department administrative assistant. “If you find this bag please contact me, no questions asked,” she wrote. “Also missing from the department is a student’s guitar. If you find a random guitar wondering around campus, please contact me, no questions asked.”

These thefts come at a time when the College and the larger community have seen an increase in thefts in general.

“There has been a significant increase in thefts not only at the College, but in the surrounding area as well,” Hooper said. “This, of course, is a huge concern to us. Officers are [trying] and have tried their level best to be as visible as possible all over campus to reduce the chance for thefts.”

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