Last week, there was supposed to be a concert scheduled at Toronto General Hospital. However on Thursday, as the organisers were setting up for the weekly affair, which was targeted at helping patients through “the healing process”, they discovered that their prized $27,000 Boston Steinway baby grand was missing.
According to a staff, two men had hauled the piano out of the expansive atrium “for a tune-up” four days earlier. However, the contractor who is usually in charge of servicing the piano informed the hospital security that he had absolutely nothing to do with it. In fact, he would never be required to remove the piano off-site for tuning. After the guards went through several hours of surveillance footage, they were rather convinced that the hospital was victim to a “disgusting crime”.
Todd Milne, head of security at the University Health Network, which includes Toronto General mentioned that the footage displayed the clumsy, long-hours procedure carried out by three men who clearly had very little idea about moving a piano. On Monday, the Toronto Police stated that they were on the look out for all the three suspects involved in the theft. Two of them who in charge of moving the piano, while the other assisted in loading the stolen piano into a vehicle. “They were very cool and calm. Who would ever think that someone would actually steal a piano?” said Todd.
According to Todd, the three men had to make changes to their plans midway through. They were seen stealing linens from a closet to stuff underneath the piano. This was an attempt to keep it from falling off a dolly. At certain points, they were also dragging the piano along the ground. Todd added that those men even went as far as speaking to the hospital staff in order to direct the traffic around their getaway vehicle.
On the other hand, Toronto moving experts explained that the moving process was way more complicated as it involved an array of specialty straps, elastics and even a trolley. “You don’t just walk in and take it. You really have to know what you’re doing, because if you don’t you’re going to ruin the piano. Trying to steal one? That’s a nervy endeavor,” stated Ken McNally, a 30-year veteran of the business, who owns McNally Piano Services. For more of the story, do check it here.
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