Musician Has Van and Equipment Stolen in Antioch

Antioch resident Les Edwins, who performs at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, had his van stolen from his home with all his equipment inside.

Edwins is now out approximately $10,000 in equipment, his van and personal items.  He is now trying to raise funds to replace his equipment and be able to get back to making a living by performing—he has launched a GoFundMe.

The vehicle theft occurred on Thursday at approximately 3:20 am. A police report was filed with the Antioch Police Department, but as of Sunday night there has been no update on Edwins equipment, van or personal belongings.

Stolen items he now has to replace include:

• Van
• Drums with seat throne/stands/kick pedal,
• computer for my music tracks
• EV 15 inch PA speakers,
• Microphones and stand,
• Speaker/mic cables,
• Mixer,
• Generator to power his show.

Edwins says he had about 3,000 songs he now has to replace and is hoping he can work to get some of them back but says they were all on a flash drive and he also has to recreate playlist and shows.

“I still cant wrap my head around it,” says Edwins. “It’s a void I cant replace, my musical equipment I can replace but one of my computers had personal music I didn’t have backed up. I always carry two computers because its an electric show, if anything goes out, you are out of your business. So I have to be double prepared.”

As of Sunday, he was still in disbelief as video from a neighbors security camera shows a blue car driving around prior to the vehicle theft when a male exited the vehicle and took his van.

“I walked out of my house and came around the bend where I saw my neighbor was packing his RV, I looked over and I told him my van is gone. I said oh my gosh someone stole my van. Then it hit me. I was like wow. Its really weird to look at a space and had a car parked and nothing was there. Now its empty,” explained Edwins.

He shared that while his neighbor had recently had their catalytic converter stolen, he has had no issues for approximately 10-years on his street.

Fisherman’s Wharf Shows

Edwins says he plays approximately 80-90 songs a day and does everything from Frank Sinatra to Bruno Mars to Otis Redding to even Tina Turner and country.

“I play for a wide demographic because I want to please everybody. Now I have to start over because the flash drive was stolen,” explained Edwins who says he hopes to be back performing in a month or two once everything is replaced.

“I love playing the street because I am not tied to a certain genre. People love my show from all over the world. People hit me up on social media saying I am the best thing about their trip to San Francisco. They are telling me I am the best part. I love making people happy. When I play at the Wharf, its so cool. Its not stringent or to many guidelines, I can go all over the map with my genre of music and everybody is happy they dance do the cupid shuffle, electric slide. I love interacting with people. I want people to feel like they are a part of the show. I am just the musician trying to make everyone happy or make their trip a great time. It makes me happy,” says Edwins.

From a Family of Musicians

He shared that his whole family is musicians and his dad actually started the show. He went by the name Chuck Edwards where he had a record deal and many records were sold. They moved from Canonsburg, PA and came to San Francisco for more musical opportunity. When they got to the Bay Area, they started performing on the streets to be able to afford a motel.

“It’s how its all started, we played the street for eight years,” explained Edwins.

As he and his brothers became teenagers, they didn’t want to play on the street anymore and started a band (The Edwards Generation) which led to gigs and clubs. They ended up changing their name to Movin’ and began traveling the world to perform over the next two decades from Japan to Canada to Europe.

In 2002, he Edwins was in a life-changing vehicle crash in the City of Pittsburg after being thrown from a vehicle.  It left him unable to walk for 8-years. He vowed to not only walk, but play his drums again after multiple surgeries.

“It was horrible, I laid on my back for 2 ½ years in Antioch,” said explained Edwins “By the time I was up in a walker, I swear everything in my living room looked miniature. It was like me being King Kong overlooking New York. That Is how long I laid on my back… when I recovered 8-years later after bone graph.”

By the time he was up to speed and ready to perform, it turned out his brothers were burned out and no longer taking any gigs. It forced Edwins to adjust and start another act with another musician where they played casinos up and down the state for 5-years under the name 2Tight.

His keyboard played then opted to retire which left him with another choice which after a show in Amsterdam decided to go solo which is when he worked on his show and created his gig for Fisherman’s Wharf.

This led him to land in Pittsburg and then Antioch over the past decade.

Hopes To Get Back to Performing Soon

Edwins says depending on how quickly he can raise funds, replace equipment and get a van, he is hoping to get back to performing as soon as possible because music and performing is how he makes a living.

“I am totally sunk and I am trying to swim out of this one piece of equipment at a time,” said Edwins. “If I get the van back in one piece, its going to be a miracle.”

Frustrated With Crime

East Contra Costa County has seen plenty of vehicle thefts over the first part of the year, including the City of Antioch who had 32 stolen vehicles. Since July 2, Antioch residents have reported 112 vehicle thefts to the Antioch Police Department. Since May 28, the total number is 211 vehicle thefts.

Compared to the neighboring City of Pittsburg, since July 2, Pittburg has seen 30 vehicle thefts. Since May 28, the number is 93.  In the City of Oakley, since May 28, Oakley has had just14 vehicle thefts. Brentwood police report they have had 71 vehicle thefts year-to-date with 21 being since May 28.

“Why does it have to be these guys get away with it, people work hard for there things. People get impacted from theft and the people committing the crimes never get caught,” shared Edwins. “I should have been working all weekend. Here I have been trying to get news media, post on social media, trying to get some awareness out that maybe someone has seen my truck. I hate asking for money but this is a big deal. I can’t afford to replace my van and all my equipment.”

A video of the theft has been posted online along with photographs, but as of Sunday night, the van or equipment has not yet been recovered.

GOFUNDME – Click here

To book Edwins contact him at [email protected]. He is available for private parties, shows, and street performing.