Son of former Motown jazz legend has prized saxophone stolen in Detroit carjacking ring

Marcus Belgrave gave saxophone to son as gift

DETROIT – Detroit police are trying to break a carjacking ring after a victim said his prized saxophone was taken in a stolen car.

The expensive saxophone was a gift to a son from famous Motown trumpet player Marcus Belgrave. Belgrave has played on several hits and is considered a jazz legend.

Kasan Belgrave is carrying on the family jazz tradition, but now he's lost his beloved horn.

"It was like one of the only possessions I have of him," Belgrave said.

His father gave him the alto saxophone because Belgrave was headed to the University of Michigan to pursue a music degree.

Belgrave was heading home Tuesday in the early morning hours after a show when he said he ran into carjackers at 6 Mile and Oak.

"Some SUV bumped me from behind on purpose, and he's like, 'Oh yeah, you should pull over to see if there is any damage,'" Belgrave said. "I did, and I was kind of suspicious."

Detroit police said a woman driver and two passengers have carjacked four other vehicles in the area, including the Subaru station wagon they used to bump into Belgrave's Honda Civil. Police said the station wagon has been stolen just 20 minutes before the encounter.

The three carjackers took the Civic with the saxophone inside. It's the saxophone Belgrave played on stage with his father that he wants back.

"It's like one of my prized possessions," Belgrave said.

The family is no stranger to this kind of trouble. In 2014, somebody stole Marcus Belgrave's prized custom trumpet from his car at Eastern Market. He got his trumpet back, and his son is hoping this situation turns out the same way.

"It was in my trunk, so hopefully, I mean, they probably got it, but hopefully it turns up somewhere, like in a pawn shop or something," Belgrave said.

It was a pawn shop that turned in his father's trumpet three years ago. Belgrave said he's been making calls to put them on alert.

Anyone who has seen the saxophone is asked to call Detroit police.

Stay with ClickOnDetroit.com for updates.


About the Authors:

Rod Meloni is an Emmy Award-winning Business Editor on Local 4 News and a Certified Financial Plannerâ„¢ Professional.

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.