Dance dreams dashed after troupe's trailer stolen

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - Dancing is everything to little Marisa Lopez. Last week, her dreams of gracing the stage hit a speedbump when someone stole her traveling troupe's entire set.

"I felt kind of disappointed because all of the dads worked really hard to build it and put it on stage," she said Tuesday.

A&G Dance Academy kept the handmade props stored securely in a parent's work trailer behind the St. Pete studio between competitions. When the parent went to move it last week, it was missing.

"I was shocked. Even in this day and age I don't think that way. So I was extremely sad that someone took away everything we worked so hard to have this season," instructor Tiffany Avey said.

St. Pete police think the thief was likely a little disappointed with what they found inside.

"We believe that the thief stole the trailer thinking there was either pesticide or yard equipment inside, some kind of tools that they could use or sell. But clearly, when they opened it up and found dance props and sets, that wasn't what they were looking for. Our hope is that they ditched the whole trailer and its sitting in some parking lot," St. Pete Police's Yolanda Fernandez said.

They're now asking the public to keep an eye out for the trailer or the array of tables, chairs, and glittery props painstakingly put together by loving parents.

"It would be really hard not to have the props that we needed. We could always build new ones but we would have a little bit more hard work," Lopez said.

St. Pete police are asking the public to keep an eye out for that trailer. It's a white utility trailer with 'Marshall Pest Patrol' on the side. Also, if you see something that looks like a pile of props, give St. Pete police a call.