WEST ALLIS, Wis. – Eight customers of Neuhaus Piano Workshop have turned to West Allis police after a February discovery of over 28 pianos in three storage units failed to locate any of their missing instruments.
How the lockers were found
A woman who purchased the storage units from Storage Rentals of America on Lapham Street a year ago alerted police when she learned the previous owner had defaulted on payments. Inside the lockers she found paperwork linking the pianos to Neuhaus Piano Workshop, prompting her to share the story with Contact 6.
Customers’ stories
One longtime customer, Len Wesner of Oshkosh, described a cherished 1920s player piano that has been in his family for decades. Wesner bought the instrument from Arnold Neuhaus twenty years ago and, in 2019, entrusted Arnold’s son, Tom Neuhaus, with a second family piano for refinishing and restringing. Wesner paid a $1,000 down payment, but the shop stopped responding five years ago and he has not seen the piano since.
Another customer, Cassie Kaminski, sent her grandparents’ piano to Neuhaus in 2023 for a $5,500 repair. The piano has not been returned, leaving Kaminski “frustrated and angry” and feeling she has lost a treasured piece of her childhood.
Police interview and the storage units
West Allis police detectives interviewed Tom Neuhaus after a bench warrant was issued for him. During the interview Neuhaus admitted the shop holds “way too many” pianos and could not account for a 400‑pound cast‑iron frame belonging to Kaminski’s piano. He suggested the frame might have been lost, not stolen.
Shortly after the interview, detectives learned of the storage units containing 28 pianos. Police were able to match three of the instruments to owners and returned two; one owner declined to take his piano back. Wesner’s piano was not among the recovered instruments, and he believes it remains in Neuhaus’s building.
Law enforcement response
Detective John Miller (name changed for privacy) emphasized the importance of timely communication, noting that customers “can’t get ahold of you for months or years, which is why they turn to the news and the police.” The department considered a search warrant for the workshop but, after consulting the district attorney’s office, determined that most complaints did not rise to chargeable criminal offenses.
West Allis police also clarified that they lack legal authority to seize the remaining pianos, so the storage facility returned the lockers’ contents to its owners.
Business impact and next steps
Neuhaus Piano Workshop has faced a felony theft charge in a separate case involving Cassie Kaminski. The district attorney’s office indicated that Neuhaus is working to return the remaining pianos before his next court appearance in November. No new charges are currently being considered.
Wesner’s family hopes to retrieve the parents’ piano so it can be passed to his daughter, preserving the music and memories for the next generation. He said, “My letters to Neuhaus all said, ‘it’s just fine. Let me just get the piano back, and I’ll move it myself.’ It’s really the emotional side of it that we’re struggling with more than anything else.”
Community perspective
The situation underscores the challenges small‑business owners face when communication breaks down, especially in a post‑pandemic environment where many businesses, including Neuhaus, have lost employees and struggled to keep up with demand. Local residents are urged to document all communications with service providers and to report unresolved issues to law enforcement when they suspect fraud or negligence.
For consumers with unresolved repair complaints, the West Allis Police Department encourages filing a formal report and providing any paperwork, receipts, or correspondence related to the service. The department will continue to monitor the case and work with the district attorney’s office to ensure that any criminal conduct is addressed.
Original reporting: FOX6 WITI – local news — read the source article.
