Airbourne Offering 'Handsome Reward' After Melbourne Gear Theft

Globetrotting rockers Airbourne have been left reeling after an extensive gear theft in their hometown over the weekend.

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday (8 April), the band revealed that they had suffered the loss of seven instruments after a break-in at their Naarm/Melbourne storage facility on Sunday night. Amongst the items taken are two acoustic guitars, three electric guitars, an acoustic bass, and a mandolin – with two of the instruments belonging to the late father of founding members Joel and Ryan O'Keeffe.

“It’s with a heavy heart that we put this out there,” the band wrote on social media. “Our Airbourne Australian Lockup was broken into on Sunday night. The thieves made off with 6 Guitars amongst other things.

“Most important was my father’s old Mini Maton and his mandolin. Those of you who know Ryan and myself know that we lost our father back in 2014, so for me personally when I play my Dad‘s old guitar it brings me a little bit closer to him again, it’s like a part of him comes back around again, it really helps me through shit when I feel I need to talk to him.”

The group closed their post with a list of the instruments that were taken, along with an urging for the public to get in touch should they hear anything that leads to the safe return of the instruments – especially those which belonged to their father.

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“Anyway, we just wanted to put this out there in case somebody heard anything or saw anything,” the post concluded.

“From pawn shops to Facebook marketplace, conversations in bars or wherever, we are offering a handsome reward for any information that leads us to finding Dad’s old guitar and any of the others.”

The items stolen include:

• Mini Maton acoustic guitar – Serial No.: 5795

• Gretsch 1963 Duo Jet Black in original grey moulded case – Serial No.: 47938

• Gibson 1976 black beauty Les Paul – Serial No.: 117972

• Gretsch acoustic

• Dad’s mandolin

• Takamine G series acoustic bass, wood grain with case – Serial No.: EG512CGANQ

• Gretsch Jet, Malcolm Young signature series – Serial No.: JT10081871

Airbourne’s recent theft follows on just weeks after fellow Melburnians Hiatus Kaiyote were also the victims of a robbery, with the band reporting “tens of thousands of dollars” of musical equipment had been stolen.

“We have been robbed. Please keep your eyes out, especially if you are in Melbourne and surrounding areas/states,” the band wrote on social media.

Anyone with leads or information relating to the safe return of Airbourne’s gear (or the gear belonging to Hiatus Kaiyote, for that matter) are urged to contact the respective bands.