IE teen pleads for return of stolen saxophones ahead of band's trip to NYC

HEMET, Calif. (KABC) -- Heather Mitchell, a high school senior in Hemet, has been practicing her saxophone for weeks in preparation for her school band's trip to New York City.

"We're performing at Trump Tower, we're seeing "Wicked" on Broadway and we are going to do a clinic with them," said Mitchell.

But on Tuesday, after hiking with friends along Massacre Canyon near Gilman Springs Road, she realized someone had broken into her car.

"When I went to open the trunk, my saxophones, my duffle bag with clothes, money, it was all gone and I started freaking out from there," said Mitchell.

The thief, or thieves, took both her personal tenor saxophone and the baritone one that her band teacher had lent her.

"The baritone saxophone especially belonged to the school. Its like a 5-or $6,000 instrument," she said.

Luckily, Temple 57, a Hemet private investigations firm, stepped in to help and bought Mitchell a new tenor saxophone.

The owner of the company happened to be Mitchell's boyfriend's father. He had one of his associates deliver the instrument so Mitchell could break it in in time for her trip on Saturday.

The investigation firm is also looking into the case.

"We wanted to search the valley first. We are also reaching out to all the other pawn shops in the area," said Justine Metoyer, an investigator with the Temple 57.

Mitchell has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to replace her school's baritone saxophone, but she is hopeful the person who took it will do the right thing and return it.