The leader of a San Jose band says someone stole his van and trailer filled with all the equipment that he needs to perform.
For years, Bando Nuevo Estilo has performed at weddings, quinceañeras and other events in the Bay Area. But now, leader Jairo Torres and his wife Elizabet Lozano are wondering what's next after their van, and trailer filled with musical equipment for the 15-person band was stolen Monday.
It was parked near their home off Branham Avenue in San Jose.
“It's over $100,000 invested,” said Lozano. “My husband’s years of work and sacrifices. We have family. That's how we pay our rent, food, everything. It’s sad.”
Torres said he used an air tag on the trailer to track it to Oakland. He drove to the location and that’s when he found someone loading his equipment into a blue truck.
He said he shot video of it and called 911 but says no one ever answered. So he started following the truck and several other vehicles that took off. His wife said that's when things turned dangerous.
“By the time they knew that he was following them, they tried to hit his car," "So he just stepped to the side because he saw that they were armed,” said Lozano.
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Torres said the men in the vehicles were wearing masks and held up guns. He then went to the Oakland Police Department.
But when his air tag showed a new location, he went to that spot and found his van and an empty trailer.
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He also found some of the metal posts he uses to build his set strewn in the street. He loaded them up into his trailer and returned home.
Torres said the band has three gigs this weekend and he’s had to buy some new equipment and borrow the rest to make sure Band Nuevo Estilo can still perform.
NBC Bay Area reached out to the Oakland Police Department to find out why no one answered Torres’ 911 call but has not heard back.
Torres filed a police report with the San Jose Police Department and now plans to do the same with Oakland PD.
His equipment was not insured.
