Korn Bassist’s 15 Stolen Guitars Recovered After Henderson Storage Unit Break-In
Musician Dave Chipp spotted one of the stolen instruments at a local music store, sparking a community-led recovery effort.
Henderson Police have recovered 15 bass guitars stolen from Korn bassist Ra Diaz following a break-in at a Henderson storage unit approximately two weeks ago. The recovery was made possible through a rapid community effort led by local musician and tattoo artist Dave Chipp, who spotted one of the stolen instruments at a local music store and alerted those connected to Diaz.
Storage Unit Broken Into, Guitars Reported Stolen
Henderson Police property crimes detective Jameson Harding confirmed the theft occurred at a storage unit in Henderson roughly two weeks ago. According to Harding, the storage unit had been broken into and completely cleared out, leaving Diaz without his collection of bass guitars and other equipment.
Police ultimately recovered 15 guitars, one amplifier, effects pedals, and personalized memorabilia. Diaz, who currently plays bass for the rock band Korn, previously performed with the band Suicidal Tendencies.
Local Music Community Helped Track Down Stolen Instruments
The recovery effort began when Dave Chipp, a musician and tattoo artist, picked up a bass guitar at a local music store and noticed a marking on the instrument. "I picked it up, played it. I was like, man, this is awesome. And I looked on the 12th fret, and it said Ra ST, which is Ra Suicidal Tendencies," Chipp said.
Chipp contacted a friend connected to Diaz, who confirmed the theft. "He's like, where did you find that? Our storage unit's been broken into. Everything's been cleared out," Chipp recounted. From there, Chipp and others began contacting music stores, musicians, and tattoo shops across the area.
Chipp described the timeline as remarkably swift, noting it was just a few days from finding the first stolen guitar to Henderson Police recovering all 15. He praised the department's response, saying officers acted "insanely fast, like crazy efficient."
Henderson Police Credit Community Leads for Quick Recovery
Detective Harding acknowledged that the community's involvement accelerated the investigation. "It definitely helped us early on to be able to get a couple of leads on recovering some of his property, probably a little bit quicker than we may have found them. Because it's people that he knows and some of his friends who know his stuff very well. So, I think it was pretty helpful with timing," Harding said.
Among the recovered items was a guitar bearing a Chilean flag. Harding noted the particular significance of that instrument to Diaz, who is from Chile. "He was just super thankful that we found that guitar because he said his plan the whole time was to come back to Vegas for Sic New World, get that guitar and take it on tour with him. So, it was really cool to be able to give him that. It's obviously part of his heritage. He wants to have that with him on this next leg of their tour," Harding said.
Harding also described Diaz's demeanor when he came to the police station to retrieve his belongings. "They hung out for a couple of minutes with us in the office, just going over his stuff. He just seems like such a super guy. Extremely nice, very friendly with our staff here. And he's been super thankful," Harding said.
Diaz Thanks Community on Instagram Ahead of Sick New World Festival
Diaz posted a thank-you message on Instagram directed at those who helped recover his instruments, including the Henderson Police Department, Chipp, and Chipp's friend. Diaz said he cannot explain the sentimental value of the instruments and noted he had heard stories about stolen gear and how rarely such situations end well, calling himself lucky that his story had a happy ending.
Korn performed at the Sick New World Festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds over the weekend. No arrests have been made in connection with the storage unit theft, and the investigation remains open.
What we know
- 15 bass guitars belonging to Korn bassist Ra Diaz were stolen from a Henderson storage unit approximately two weeks ago.
- Henderson Police also recovered one amplifier, effects pedals, and personalized memorabilia along with the 15 guitars.
- Musician and tattoo artist Dave Chipp identified one of the stolen guitars at a local music store by a marking on the 12th fret reading 'Ra ST,' a reference to Diaz's time with Suicidal Tendencies.
- Chipp and others contacted music stores, musicians, and tattoo shops to help locate the stolen instruments.
- Henderson Police property crimes detective Jameson Harding confirmed the theft and credited community leads for speeding up the recovery.
- One of the recovered guitars featured a Chilean flag; Diaz is from Chile and had planned to bring that guitar on tour.
- Korn performed at the Sick New World Festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds the weekend of the recovery.
- No arrests have been made and the investigation remains open.
Why it matters
The recovery of Ra Diaz's stolen instruments highlights how quickly Henderson's local music community and law enforcement can collaborate to resolve property crimes. For Las Vegas, a city that regularly hosts major music festivals including Sick New World at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, the protection of touring musicians' equipment carries real stakes. The case also underscores the value of community networks — particularly among musicians and tattoo artists — in identifying stolen goods before they disappear into secondary markets.
What’s next
The Henderson Police investigation into the storage unit theft remains open and no arrests have been made. Diaz indicated plans to take the recovered Chilean flag guitar on the next leg of Korn's tour following the band's appearance at the Sick New World Festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Ra Diaz and what band does he play for?
Ra Diaz is the bass guitarist for the rock band Korn. He previously played in the band Suicidal Tendencies.
How were Ra Diaz's stolen guitars found?
Musician and tattoo artist Dave Chipp spotted one of the stolen guitars at a local music store, identified it by a marking on the 12th fret, and alerted a friend connected to Diaz. Chipp and others then contacted music stores, musicians, and tattoo shops, leading Henderson Police to recover all 15 guitars within a few days.
Where did the theft of Ra Diaz's guitars take place?
The theft occurred at a storage unit in Henderson, Nevada, approximately two weeks before the recovery was announced.
Have any arrests been made in the Henderson storage unit theft?
No arrests have been made. The Henderson Police investigation remains open.
What festival was Korn performing at in Las Vegas when the guitars were recovered?
Korn performed at the Sick New World Festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds the same weekend the guitars were recovered.