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Suspects identified; Alan White’s drums are still missing.
The search continues for a piece of rock ’n’ roll history. On April 12, King County authorities asked the public for help after thieves stole a priceless drum set used to record John Lennon’s “Imagine.” Alan White, the owner of the kit, was also the drummer of the band Yes.
During Spring Break, thieves broke into his Newscastle home and ransacked it, taking information on a storage unit. Detectives said the thieves used that information to break into the storage unit and haul away several items, including the famed drum kit.
Using surveillance footage (Captured March 25th), the Newcastle Police Department sent out a photo of the truck used during the burglary and photos of three suspects.
On Monday April 11th, the Newcastle Police Department announced they had found the truck and identified the suspects. However, the kit is still missing.
This is especially sad with this incident happening at the end of Alan’s life. Alan passed away on May 26th of this year without having resolution to this incident.
An $11,000 reward is being offered for the return of the kit.
Anyone with information is asked to call 800-222-8477 and reference case #C22010116.
On June 19th King County prosecutors have charged two suspects in connection with the theft of a legendary drum kit owned by “YES” drummer Alan White. Chad Briner and Fredrick Estes Jr., who is also known as “Shadow” have both been charged with Burglary in the Second Degree and two counts of Residential Burglary. They have felony warrants for their arrest.
On March 27, deputies responded to a 911 call about a break-in at a home in Newcastle owned by Gigi and Alan White and found Briner sleeping downstairs on a couch. During questioning, he admitted that he broke into the home and had been living there for three days. He told them he found paperwork in the house with the security code for Heated Storage on 132nd Place SE in Newcastle.
Briner said he shared that information with an acquaintance who goes by the name “Shadow” who was later identified as Fredrick Estes Jr. Briner told deputies that he and Estes Jr. went to the storage unit, used the code to get into the building, cut off the locks and stole musical items. They went back the following morning and stole more items, placing them in a white Chevy truck with a camper that Estes Jr. was driving.
On March 28, Newcastle Police Department Chief Jason Houck located the white truck and camper in Federal Way. Estes Jr. spotted Houck’s unmarked vehicle, made a U-turn and started speeding away in a reckless manner. As he did, a triple-platinum record from RIAA for the “90215” album that belongs to White flew off the vehicle and landed on the road. Houck lost sight of the truck but retrieved the stolen record and plaque.
On April 1, Estes Jr. and a woman were arrested after deputies responded to another break-in into the White’s home. During questioning, Estes Jr. claimed he purchased the white truck with the camper from his friend “John John”. He admitted to breaking into the storage unit but claimed he got mad at the other accomplices and drove off with all the stolen items, leaving the other guys there. According to the probable cause documents, he told Houck that he stashed the items in an apartment on Airport Way S until he located a buyer. Then, he transferred them into an older white over tan RV in SODO parked across the street at Ruby Chow Park.
In addition to his new charges, Briner also has a bench warrant for Assault in the Fourth Degree. Estes Jr. currently has two pending cases in King County Superior Court for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the First Degree and for Theft in the First Degree. Additionally, he has five recent felony convictions for Assault 3 – Substantial Pain, Burglary in the Second Degree, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Malicious Mischief Second Degree.
Neither suspect is in custody. They are scheduled to appear for arraignment on June 29 in room E1201A of the King County Courthouse.
Sources: Web & FOX13
