By AIMEE GREEN/The Oregonian/OregonLive
As one of two headline acts at the Yachats Celtic Music Festival, fiddler Alasdair Fraser and cellist Natalie Haas played to a full house and enthusiastic crowds Friday and Saturday. Then they went to Portland.
The world-traveling duo got a devastating dose of the dark side of Portland when they returned to their rental car Monday to find someone had broken into it. Gone were Fraser’s violin and four bows, Haas’ cello, both of their suitcases and handwritten notes on sheet music for their next album.
The pair, who respectively live in California and Spain, arrived in Portland a day after performing in the Yachats Celtic Music Festival over the weekend and before their performance at the Alberta Rose Theatre.
They wanted some some extra time to enjoy the city. That came to an abrupt end when they embarked on a new mission to try to get back their treasured stolen possessions.
Although property crimes overall – including burglary, vandalism and stolen cars – in Portland are down more than 10% over the past year, thefts of property – including car break-ins – are up 20%. Many victims never recover their possessions.
But Fraser’s and Haas’ efforts appear to be paying off – to some degree. Haas had to fly back to Spain, but not before she recovered her cello from a man who said he bought it from the alleged thief for just $40.
Fraser extended his Portland stay so he can question potential witnesses and plaster posters around downtown. He believes he’s identified the apartment building where the prime suspect lives and gained a description of the man. He said he’s shared that information with Portland police.
“I’m just covering the bases, hoping I can spring something loose,” Fraser said. “There are so many layers to this.”
In shock with loss
Their ordeal began after they arrived in Portland on Monday morning. Since it was too early to check into their Airbnb, they chose a parking garage at Southwest 10th Avenue and Taylor Street figuring it would be safe for a few daylight hours. The pair say they won’t make that mistake again.
After a breakfast at The Daily Feast and a trip to Powell’s Books, they discovered their rental car windows shattered and the contents cleared out.
They tracked an Apple Airtag in one of their suitcases to Shemanski Park one block from the garage, where they found Fraser’s suitcase, mostly empty. While Haas headed to the Portland Police Bureau to report the crime, Fraser stuck around and canvassed the area, talking to everyone he saw. Haas’ suitcase wasn’t anywhere to be found, but a man voluntarily handed over a jacket and her insulin, which had been packed in Haas’ luggage.
But the biggest development of all was Haas getting her cello back.
Haas and Fraser say a man who had identified himself as the cello’s buyer called Haas’ phone number after finding it on a United Airlines baggage tag still attached to the cello case. The buyer told them that he had a change of heart about keeping the instrument, needed to set a good example for his son and wanted only to return it.
“I was in shock,” Haas said. “I just couldn’t believe that within this seedy world there are good people still.”
Haas and Fraser also have been buoyed by a network of Facebook followers from around the world, including those who volunteered to contact Portland area pawn shops to be on the lookout for their belongings and scour online marketplaces such as eBay for the stolen items in coming days and weeks, if need be. Meanwhile, some locals lent Fraser two violins so Tuesday night’s show could go on.
“Many people are embarrassed by the image of their hometown,” Fraser said. “I get that. We’ve been traveling for many, many, many years and this hardly ever happens. We love Portland. …The showing of support has been huge.”
Fraser declined to pin a monetary value on the missing items. There is a dollar value, he said, but the emotional value far exceeds that.
“Trying to replace that stuff that you’ve collected all of your life?” Fraser said. “You don’t really find replacements off the shelf.”
Fraser particularly misses a 19th-century French bow that has traveled around the globe with him since the early 1980s.
Fraser and Haas have been playing together for more than 20 years.
Haas said losing the contents of her suitcase – including her eye glasses, vintage clothing, handmade shoes and Christmas presents she bought while on tour – was like losing “a good chunk of my worldly goods.”
But has the experience soured her on Portland?
“On the downtown area, yes. I don’t want to spend any more time there anymore,” Haas said. “But I still love Portland. It has some of my favorite things – great food, great coffee, great vintage shops. It’s just sad to see what has become of the downtown area.”
— Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee
This reinforces the notion that Portland has many issues and we are fortunate to live here.
We had the supreme enjoyment of catching Fraser and Haas at the Yachats Celtic Festival. Their music was an exquisite mixture of traditional and new compositions. It was so upsetting to hear that their instruments and irreplaceable musical notes were stolen. But we were heartened that Sir Fraser has turned sleuth in his spirited pursuit of the miscreants. We were so fortunate to have them at our local music festival and we hope they will return in the future.
I hope he gets the instrument back
Portland is trashed thanks to rampant drug use and addicts who will steal anything to get another fix. I have avoided it since 2020. The public parking lots are not safe anymore. I used to go there for art exhibits or the symphony and ballet but did not feel safe the last time I was there. I blame the passage of measure 110 for the increased crime brought on by all the addicts, open drug use and dealing downtown.