Police Recover Teen’s Bagpipes Stolen In Lindon
Oct 8, 2018, 10:43 PM | Updated: Oct 9, 2018, 1:33 am
LINDON, Utah – Police officers are asked to help track down stolen items all the time and sometimes the items stolen can be a little odd. However, for one Utah County teenager, the item was extremely sentimental.
The first job is a rite of passage for most teens. It’s a chance to learn the value of hard work, earn some extra cash and for 17-year-old Cameron Braithwaite, perfect his burger-flipping skills.
“I consider myself the best,” he said with a laugh as he stood over a grill at Chubby’s restaurant in Pleasant Grove.
However, his interests go beyond the burgers; Cameron has a love for playing the bagpipe.
“I was about 9 years old and I saw a picture of a bagpiper and I just wanted to learn,” he said.
He’s been playing ever since.
“My band goes to local Scottish festivals,” he said.
However, the good times almost came to an end recently.
“I went to my trunk and noticed that my bagpipes were missing,” he said.
Someone had broken into his car and stolen them.
“It was just devastation and embarrassment too,” he said. “My mom always told me to keep them in the house and lock my car.”
He called Lindon police to report the theft of the $2,000 instrument.
“(Cameron) asked what the possibility would be of getting his bagpipe bag, and I was like, ‘Well in all my years doing (police work), this is the first case of bagpipes ever taken,’” Sgt. Josh Edwards said.
Sgt. Edwards did some detective work, eventually reaching out to other departments, asking them to be on the lookout for a bagpipe.
“Those, kind of, stand out a bit,” Sgt. Edwards said.
Turns out, bagpipes don’t get stolen very often.
“About five minutes later, I get a call from a Pleasant Grove sergeant who told me they had the bagpipes.”
The instrument had gone for a ride in a stolen vehicle that Pleasant Grove police recovered.
Thanks to Sgt. Edwards, the boy and his bagpipes are back together.
“We went to (Sgt. Edward’s) office and they were there and I was just so happy,” Cameron said.
Sgt. Edwards doubts he will ever need to track down a stolen item like that again, and Cameron doesn’t plan on them ever being stolen again.
“(I will) definitely lock my car and not leave valuables in the car because anything can happen,” Cameron said.
