Thieves Hit House of Blues Studios

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Making Memphis music is the sole purpose behind the House of Blues Studios, here in the Bluff City. As long as it has been here, the property has always been respected. But early Wednesday morning, thieves broke into one of the studios.

"Studio D" Operator Ralph Sutton got a 3:00 a.m. wake-up call saying something was wrong inside the studio. He thought the motion detectors sensed something that accidentally fell over. When he pulled-up to the studios, Sutton saw a man jumping over the fence with a speaker.

"This is certainly not cool," Sutton said.

Instead of artists, repairmen filled "Studio D" Wednesday. They fixed doors, locks, and the security system.

"Looks like what initially happened was, they came over this fence, they pried this open, and investigated what we call our junk storage room--where we have old amplifiers and things of that nature," Sutton said.

After busting those locks, the thieves went for the power boxes and the lights.

"They broke this light--which gave them darkness," Sutton said.

Then, into "Studio D." That's where one of them grabbed a set of speakers and a digital camera. Sutton expects about five-thousand-dollars in losses and repairs. But that's not what stings the most.

"The saddest part is, they've been here before because they kind of knew what they wanted to steal," Sutton said.

Sutton says the studios lowered fees recently to help the Memphis music community. But after this break-in, the rates may change.

"We may have gotten some miscreants involved. People who are more interested in stealing," Sutton said.

Breaking the code of creativity, and, the heart of a Studio that wants to give striving Memphis artists a chance at "cool."

"The challenge for us is that, ultimately, what we're really trying to do with the House of Blues name and brand and studio, is to really participate in the re-birthing the Memphis 'cool.' Memphis music cool," Sutton said.

Sutton believes there were two people involved. If you have any information, call Crimestoppers, at 528.CASH.