After discovering that thousands of dollars worth of musical instruments and electronics had been stolen from their sanctuary and youth center, the staff at the Christian Church of Thousand Oaks found a note that seemed to taunt them.

"Thanks for leaving the doors open," read the note in the church printer's tray, senior pastor Joe Markum said.

The church, at 301 Avenida de las Flores in Thousand Oaks, was burglarized between 9 p.m. March 12 and 6 a.m. March 13, according to a Thousand Oaks Police Department report.

An estimated $25,000 worth of instruments and electronics were taken, including 10 electric and acoustic guitars, two sets of drum microphones, cymbals from two drum sets, four computers, several vocal microphones, a keyboard and a digital camera, Markum said Tuesday.

"We're looking for a 10-person band," he joked.

Some of the instruments and computers were taken from the church sanctuary, where they are used for Sunday services, Markum said. Several computers also were stolen from offices, where church officials believe the burglar or burglars found the keys to the church's youth center. Seven guitars and the microphones and cymbals were taken from the youth center.

It seemed like the burglars knew the layout of the church, Markum said. "Everybody feels violated."

Police didn't find any evidence of forced entry, although church officials believe the building's exterior doors were locked, Markum said. Some interior doors were unlocked, he said.

Police found vehicle tracks in the grass behind the church, where burglars apparently pulled a vehicle up from the back parking lot to the edge of the building, Detective Eric Buschow said.

Based on the amount of items taken, Buschow is assuming several people were involved in the heist. The investigation is still in its early stages, and no suspects had been identified as of Tuesday, he said.

The church's insurance policy has a $10,000 deductible, so more than half of the losses will be covered, Markum said.

Because of the burglary, the church's normal six-piece band was down to two during Sunday's service. The youth band, which normally plays three times a week, is temporarily out of commission, and the church staff is scrambling to buy or borrow instruments for the congregation's Easter service, Markum said.

In the more than 15 years Markum has worked for Christian Church of Thousand Oaks, there has never been a break-in, he said. The church staff used to leave doors unlocked in case someone wanted to pray in the sanctuary.

Now the church plans to ramp up security, said Markum, who locked the doors behind him as he led reporters around the building Tuesday.

Commercial burglaries are not uncommon in Thousand Oaks, but it is rare for a church to be hit hard, and even rarer for a burglar to leave a note, Buschow said.

"This is a really brazen act," he said.