Redlands East Valley High School senior to hold fundraiser to replace stolen band equipment

REDLANDS, Calif. (KABC) -- The Redlands East Valley High School Wildcats marching band is not going to let a pair of thieves ruin the remaining months of the school year.

"The fact that somebody would just show up and take away all of our hard work, it more so bothers me that they are damaging what everybody else can achieve," drum major Renee Shanteler said.

Shanteler and her mother discovered the break-in Sunday afternoon when they arrived for practice.

"We discovered that everything we used for our Monday night rehearsal had been taken, which includes six extension cords, two speakers, a generator, microphones, everything that we would need," she said.

Surveillance video shows two men pulling into the school's parking lot in a dark SUV. The pair broke into two containers just outside the band's practice room.

"It takes a lot for us to raise $2,000. The fact that someone could take it all away in four minutes hurts," Shanteler said.

The season is over for the marching band, but there are other performances they won't be able to do without their missing equipment. Shanteler, who graduates this year, set up a fundraiser to help replace the lost equipment.

"Even though I am graduating soon, I don't want to leave this program to where they are not prepared for next year or they feel they've been attacked," she said.

On April 6, the band will host a golf ball drop at the Yucaipa Valley Golf Club. If you would like to learn more, you can do so by clicking here.