COLUMBUS, Ohio — The mystery behind the series of musical instrument thefts at The Ohio State University has finally been solved, with Andre Eiland, a Columbus resident, facing an arrest warrant.
The Ohio State Police have been investigating the thefts since October 2024, and on March 3, 2025, they received a crucial lead when two students reported their stolen euphoniums for sale on Facebook Marketplace. The students noticed the instruments were listed with photographs that included the serial numbers, which helped officers confirm the stolen items.
Eiland allegedly posted the euphoniums for sale, with an asking price of $1,800 to $2,500 for both instruments. One of the euphoniums was sold to a buyer unconnected to the original owner, and the buyer had Eiland’s phone number. Using this lead, police identified Eiland and discovered he worked for a cleaning service that had access to the Timashev Family Music Building—the location where the instruments were stolen.
According to the search warrant, there have been numerous reports of stolen items from Timashev and Weigel Hall since October 2024. Stolen items include DJ controllers, laptops, tablets, iPads, musical instruments, and sound production equipment. The total value of the stolen goods is estimated between $15,000 and $20,000.
Ohio State police continue their investigation and are working to recover the remaining stolen items. Eiland remains at large, and authorities urge anyone with further information to come forward.
