Edinburgh youth music group left 'absolutely gutted' after van stolen with equipment inside
The van was stolen while parked on a Portobello street
An Edinburgh youth music group has been left “absolutely gutted” after its van was stolen with musical equipment inside.
Community musical group Oi Musica had their van stolen from Westbank Street in Portobello in the early hours of Monday, October 26.
The white Ford Transit van, which the group affectionately calls ‘Big J’, contained music equipment which has been used by “thousands of people of all ages”, and personal belongings inside when it was taken.
In a post on Facebook, Oi Musica said: “We’re absolutely gutted. Our van, Big J, has been stolen along with loads of our music equipment and some of our personal belongings.
“Big J was kitted out to carry everything we need for our community projects, gigs and festivals, and the instruments and gear inside have been with us for years.
“They have been played by thousands of people of all ages who’ve come through Oi Musica, and it’s hard to put a value on that.”
The equipment lost in this van theft included the group’s samba drums, which are hand painted with distinctive red, yellow and green markings. As well as two sousaphones, a bag of percussion instruments, drum sticks, mic stands, a box of mouthpieces, and a silent disco kit - which included 20 headsets, two receivers and a custom adapted battery.
Sign up to our breaking newsletters to get the biggest news straight to your inbox as it's happening
Oi Musica added: “That’s a whole lot of fun in a van, and all of it was due out this week, from our Brass Blast youth project in East Edinburgh to performances with primary school kids in Greenock and more.
“The van was insured, as was a lot of the music equipment, though not all. Replacing everything is going to take time.”
Founded in 2011 to deliver music projects with social benefit, Oi Musica became a Community Interest Company in 2018. The artist-led organisation based in Edinburgh works throughout Scotland and beyond, creating “fun and inspiring music experiences for absolutely everybody”.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We received a report of the theft of a van in Westbank Street, Edinburgh, which occurred between 7pm on Sunday, 25 October, and 4pm on Monday, 26 October, 2026.
“Enquiries are at an early stage to establish the full circumstances.”