Brazen thieves have stolen two snare drums from a Victoria Esplanade car park while Sunday's summer concert series organisers were packing up.

Dirt Box Charlie drummer Hayden Lauridsen was targeted while loading his gear into his car in broad daylight at about 5.45pm yesterday, after performing the closing set for the Blues and Rock concert.

He put his first load beside his car and went back to the stage to get another load. When he returned less than a minute later, $1000 worth of gear including two of his snare drums, and the cases they were in, had disappeared.

"I was just like 'hang on a minute' and then I started freaking out," Lauridsen said.

"I walked all around the whole area to see if I could spot any of them [the thieves] but they'd gone."

One of the drums taken was a limited edition hieroglyphic engraved Mapex Black Panther which was "irreplaceable", Lauridsen said.

The other was a Pearl Sensitone steel snare worth $400.

Lauridsen has insurance but said the theft still hurt because the equipment, including the cases, was close to his heart.

He said he would comb Trade Me and pawnshops today to see if the thieves had tried to on-sell the drums.

Access Manawatu manager Fraser Greig said those with a guilty conscience could return the drums to their headquarters no questions asked.

He said the distinctive nature of the drums meant it would be very difficult for anyone trying to move them on.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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