Woes for DJ theft victim

Jason Luty, 31, has been the victim of two multi-thousand pound thefts in the last 18 months.

And on Easter Sunday, he was left with another bill to foot when a punter threw a pint over one of his amplifiers.

Mr Luty, of Kirk Close, Earlsheaton, said: “It’s absolute craziness. This is my living, and in the last 12 months I’ve made nothing. I’m probably £55,000 down on last year.

“I think it’s crazy that people are doing this, and the chances of me getting any of my equipment back are slim.

“It’s hard work trying to make a living. I want to tell other DJs that this is happening and make sure that we’re looking after our stuff.”

At the end of 2009, thieves broke into Mr Luty’s van while it was parked at Asda in Morley. They got away with around £40,000 of gear.

A year later, he had equipment worth £30,000 to £40,000 stolen from his van again when it was parked in the same place.

Then on Easter Sunday this year, a drink was thrown over Mr Luty’s amplifier while he was performing at the Ravenswharfe Hotel in Scout Hill.

A police spokeswoman said officers were called out to the pub just after 11pm after reports of a large group.

When they arrived, no disorder was ongoing and no crimes were reported, she said.

Mr Luty, who has been DJing for 16 years, said: “When I first started people wanted to go out and have a good time.

“It just seems now that people don’t respect anything at all.”

Mr Luty specialises in weddings and performs all over the UK. He has had to rely on friends to lend him equipment so that he can keep working, in order to pay his mortgage and look after his five-year-old son, Jake.

He said: “I’ve really thought about selling up and doing something else this year.”