A major theft occured tonight in Nottingham at the Gateway Hotel.

Approx 150 Rare Originals were stolen from a car outside the hotel reception.

Police investigation is well underway, but hopefully the scene can offer the right expertise.

Any information/intelligence would be greatly appreciated and a reward is on offer.

Please email me; samsinthehouse@aol.com

A sample of the 45's-all originals STEINWAYS, SEVEN SOULS, MONTCLAIRS(Arch)DEAN COURTNEY(Black), LORRAINE CHANDLER-all 3, VIBRATIONS(EPIC), LOU PRIDE,

MAJOR LANCE-NO MORE(Okeh), LEE DAVID, COASTERS, DYNAMICS, CARSTAIRS, JAMES FOUNTAIN. More to be added as we come to terms with the theft.

Approx £40,000 in value.

Really pleased for you Sam, what a relief eh x

didnt kev also have a box stolen from the boot of his car outside the ritz a few years ago?

sounds like a jewish stocktake to me!!

Great news Guys, well chuffed for you, hope the rest turn up to give the whole thing a happy ending. Reminds so much of Kenny B's record box, nicked from the rear of his car from some low-life and Kenny B himself finding them intact next day - well, apart from KB's Val Doonican type Cardigan!!

Hi Everyone,

Firstly a major thank you for your support and kind words. It really has been a traumatic 24 hours with a reasonably happy ending.

Let me outline exactly what happened.

Following a terrific get together at the ION Bar, London on Monday night, we drove back on Tuesday and had a 7pm meeting at the Gateway Hotel, Nottingham, situated 1 mile from the M1/Jnc 26.

We parked outside the Main Entrance as the Car Park was full. Good lighting, CCTV etc.

The main problem with this well known venue is, it backs on to the Broxtowe/Strelley/Cinderhill estates, notorious for Drugs/Burglary etc, which overshadow the majority of decent people who live there.

At 9.30pm, we realised someone had smashed the whole of the back window, which is no mean feat on a 4x4. You could not see into the back, so clearly a random 'lets take a chance n grab' scenario by local druggies.

Following a sleepless night for the pair of us, a good samaritan from Broxtowe called us at 11am to say he had found my records strewn over the grass verge on Banks Lane close to the hotel along with our credit cards, driver's license etc etc. He discovered them cycling to work at 7am this morning.

Clearly these were robbed by local scally's and not Soul fans.

At 3pm this afternoon, I got the majority of my treasures back.

At first glance my Lou Pride and Yum-Yums originals are missing and some British 45's are slightly water damaged ie Mary Love(King), Lynn Randell(CBS) with Herbert Hunter(Spar) cracked.

My credit cards are intact but obviously we had cancelled them last night.

The police are busy collating surveillance data, so hopefully the perpetrators will be caught.

I think we all share the same mind about the thieving our Northern Soul originals.

PLEASE TAKE EXTRA CARE OF YOURS!

Once again.....thank you for your concern. The pair of us can sleep a tad easier tonight.

Best Wishes,

Kev and Sam

PS To John Manship...thanks for your call....very much appreciated.

so glad to hear this - And glad the soul fraternitys reputation is relatively intact again.

In some respects Id like to have been a fly on the wall when they took them and looked in the box saying" Bloody shite -Old records Ill get nowt for these" not knowing their true value - but in true scalley tradition they decided they would attempt to trash them just to get some kick from their misdemeanor!

Hope you get the other 2 back

Regards Steve

kev & sam

well chuffed you got your records back

hope you get the missing 2 back

when they catch the culprits they should chop there hands off

cu both at blackpool

at least the super owls won on satarday kev

love rich & marie xxxx