Thieves Ransack Sacramento Art Studio, Stealing $25,000 In Equipment
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – More than $25,000 worth of equipment was stolen from a local art studio and now some are without a job.
"We have no idea, but whoever did this definitely hurt a lot of people," said Melissa Uroff who has a photography studio on the second level.
Several doors were kicked in and the Panama Art Factory was ransacked, only the thieves weren't targeting the art, but the tools to make it.
"The art has all been respected, I mean there are a couple pieces of art that were stolen, but for the most part it's like they tip toed around that and took all of our tools," she said.
Uroff hit the worst with $15,000 of camera equipment now gone.
"Every camera, every lens, every studio equipment that I have is now missing and I don't know how I'm going to work," she added.
Five months pregnant and expecting her first child, Uroff isn't covered by insurance because the equipment usually goes home with her.
"(It) stopped us all in our tracks," said Dave Davis who has also been left empty handed. "I had a welder here and a chop saw and some other tools that were stolen last night."
Thirty artists use the facility and each one has to try and figure out what was taken and how they're going to replace it.
"They've taken our livelihood," Uroff said.
With respect to the art work inside, there wasn't a sculpture broken or painting touched and some fear it could've been a fellow artist, but certainly no friend of theirs.
"These people that did this last night must not have much of a soul because we're not a big company. We're all independent artists trying to make a living," Davis said.
While it's tough to face these challenges now, these artists want to let the thieves know this won't break their creative spirit.
"It sucks, but at the same time it's not like our friends and family and art I think we can all agree it's like friends and family, it's who we are," John Klaiber said.
Artists at the studio plan to hold fundraisers to help each other out, but in the meantime are working with police to help catch whoever stole thousands of dollars worth of equipment.
The first event is at noon on Sept. 10.
