"I was absolutely gutted. I was just about crying."
The Dunedin courier made the unwelcome discovery last week when he went to retrieve his EWF bag from his locked car, which was parked in the driveway of his Warrington home.
Inside the bag was every album by the 1970s boogie band (about 30 CDs), several DVDs, and a book by EWF guitarist Greg "G-Mo" Moore's wife Toi, signed by the couple.
The collection was worth about $US700, but to him was priceless and of little use to anyone else, Mr Bell said.
"It's worth a lifetime to me."
Mr Bell has been a fan of EWF since 1975 and last year realised a 30-year dream when he attended three Earth, Wind and Fire concerts in Las Vegas.
If that is not enough confirmation of his adulation, he drives a courier post van with the number plate EWF.
The bag the discs were in was distinctive, Mr Bell said.
"I'm pretty sure there are only two EWF bags in New Zealand. One's still in my bedroom and the other one, the scumbag's got."
He had reported the theft to police and was thankful he did not have to drive around completely bereft of EWF - the thieves left behind the 1977 double-platinum album All 'N All.
