Edinburgh crime: Leith recording studio Secret Basement broken into and two priceless bass guitars stolen

Giles Street studio break-in during Easter holidays

Two priceless bass guitars have been stolen from a recording studio in Leith, after it was broken into during the Easter holidays.

Secret Basement Studios in Giles Street was broken into sometime between last Monday and Sunday, with the owner of one the two unique bass guitars worth £3,000 left “heartbroken” due to the sentimental value of his instrument. Andrew Cairns, owner of the small independent business which opened at the start of 2020, only realised the property had suffered a break-in when he returned from a short break on Sunday, April 16.

He said: “I locked up on Monday, April 10 and I had been away on a short holiday. I got back on Sunday evening and noticed it was broken into. They managed to bash in the door and look through everything. They were maybe trying to find cash but there was none there for them. Two bass guitars worth three grand were stolen.

Pictures of the damage caused by the break-in at Secret Basement Studios at Giles Street in Leith.

"I have got other people who work here and rent rooms, so they need to check their bits to see if anything else was stolen but it doesn’t look like it. Luckily they have not gone haywire, most of the stuff in the studio is fine, there isn’t much damage, just where they broke in really. And obviously the bass guitars were stolen.”

One of the two stolen bass guitars belongs to local amateur musician and mental health nurse Stuart Bendiks, who uses the studio and had left his priceless instrument there expecting it to be safe.

He said: “I've had and used this Fender Musicmaster bass for going on 20 years now, so it has a lot of stories and memories, dripping in sentimental value. Pretty much every gig I have played in my amateur musical career since I was 18 has been used with that guitar. Now I'm 37 but it's still my go-to guitar.

"I received the devastating news that Secret Basement studio in Leith was broken into and my bass as well as an Andrews Gibson Thunderbird have both been stolen. Both pretty unique basses. It would mean the world if these were returned. I could cry. I'm heartbroken to say the least. And being a Leither I feel as though I've been stabbed in the back by my own people.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 6.20pm on Sunday, April 16, we were made aware of a break-in to a premises on Giles Street, Edinburgh. Enquiries have commenced and are ongoing."