"We're devastated and speechless," Devine said. "We've been touring so hard around the world for the past seven years, and this is the most evil thing we've witnessed."
The van and trailer were recovered by police yesterday, said Capt. Laurence Nodiff of the South Detective Division. Nothing was inside.
Economic realities dictate the life of a band crisscrossing the country for one-night stands. Budgets seldom accommodate tour buses, which can cost $1,000 a day, so the vehicle of choice is the 15-passenger Ford E-150 van, driven by a road manager and occasionally pulling a trailer, which is parked outside of lower-cost hotels.
"National bands are an easy target," said Libby Coffey, a publicist for Mae. "It's easy to pawn this stuff and easy to get rid of."
Thefts from parking lots near the airport have been somewhat regular for some time, Nodiff said. In recent years, several bands and a film school have reported thefts of equipment from the area.
Since reports of theft are not typically separated into categories by objects stolen, police could not say how many have occurred this year.
"I wouldn't say I'm aware of a lot of similar [crimes] recently," Nodiff said. "But, historically, between the hotels and the stadium, theft from vehicles has been a problem in that area."
Nodiff said police would increase patrols in the area in light of the thefts.
Dan Fee, a spokesman for the hotel, said it frequently hosts bands and thefts are uncommon.
The hotel has a security guard to watch the parking lot at night, but the guard leaves around 7 a.m., Fee said, which was about the time police said Kill Hannah's equipment was stolen. Mae's equipment vanished between 3:30 and 11 a.m. Nov. 4, according to police.
In light of the recent thefts, Fee said, the hotel will install security cameras.
"Security is a priority," he said. "That's why we pay a guard for extra protection."
