Mystery Thief Raids New Tonight Show Band's Wardrobe

Only 72 hours after Jay Leno's trusty sidekick Kevin Eubanks bid farewell to the Tonight Show, staffers are reporting that someone has stolen thousands of dollars worth of band materials. Could this have been Eubanks' going-away gift to himself? (After all, the man does deserve something for chuckling through all of those unfunny punchlines the past 18 years.)

As exciting as that would be, Kevin Eubanks is probably not at fault. TMZ reports that the the Tonight Show's wardrobe facility is suddenly missing thousands of dollars worth of wardrobe for the late night program's new band, which will be headed by American Idol music director Rickey Minor:

Someone allegedly stole thousands of dollars of wardrobe at an office facility for the show. We're told the clothes were for the band. We're told band members were supposed to go to the facility -- in Hollywood -- for a fitting, but before they arrived someone noticed lots of stuff was missing.

A Tonight Show insider told us the threads were for the new band, fronted by Rickey Minor.

The LAPD is investigating. No word if it's an inside job. So far, no suspects.

· Grand Theft at 'The Tonight Show' [TMZ]