$100K worth of stolen guitars found, returned to owner
The return of $100,000 worth of guitars was probably music to the ears for one Cherokee County man. But for investigators in two counties, the song won’t end until those responsible for the theft are found.
After a long weekend away, family members returned home Monday to find their home had been burglarized, according to a police report obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. From the looks of the home, the thieves tried to make off with many things, police said.
But the main thing missing? A collection of antique guitars worth as much as some homes.
Two days later and almost 20 miles south, Marietta police officers stumbled upon a pile of guitar cases and amplifiers and then the instruments about 100 yards off Merritt Road, near a wooded area, according to Officer David Baldwin. Officers checked, but there were no reports of missing guitars nearby, Baldwin said.
And although no one’s name was written on any cases, the guitars all carried ID of their own: a serial number.
By calling the company that made some of the guitars, detectives were able to identify the owner. Sure enough, the guitars all belonged to a Cherokee County man and were the same ones reported missing. All of the equipment was returned. (We aren’t publishing the victims’ names. But no, insert-your-favorite-famous-guitarist-here does not live in Cherokee County).
Makes you wonder though why the instruments were abandoned. Did the serial numbers prevent the bad guys (or gals) from re-selling the stolen guitars?
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40 comments Add your comment
Jeff A. Taylor
September 6th, 2012
12:32 pm
Any kind of quick payday hopes likely blew up one of two ways. One, the thieves found out that above-board retail traders in used instruments require ID. Two, a prearranged illicit sale for the haul fell thru. But One sounds more likely given that the gear was not targeted by the thieves.
Tag
September 6th, 2012
12:42 pm
Crime is every where in this nation.
Build bigger jails and keep people in longer.
The people that did this have and will do many more crimes.
jim
September 6th, 2012
1:05 pm
Tag, why don’t YOU go build bigger jails and pay those taxes?
Also “The people that did this have and will do many more crimes.” is a run-on sentence.
Been There
September 6th, 2012
1:06 pm
@Tag: Sure that sounds good, in order to punish all the criminals. But – the average cost of a prisoner per year is about 35K out of Mr. Taxpayer’s pocket. This system desperately needs to be self supportive, or perhaps even better – not to cost $$, but to bring $$ to the society.That is right – let them work, earn, and pay for their crimes! Then, we can build more, and bigger prisons all the time!
Southside Steve
September 6th, 2012
1:09 pm
@Jim-Oh you are one of those people.
Southside Steve
September 6th, 2012
1:10 pm
How about we stop putting people in jail for weed?
justme
September 6th, 2012
1:14 pm
Use razor wire, surplus military tents, etc as was done in Maricopia County, Az. No need for fancy buildings. This type of housings has been upheld thru the Supreme Court.
Also, sure and swift justice. No staying out on bond for years before trial to commit more crimes.
Icaros
September 6th, 2012
1:19 pm
A better idea…use capital punishment for all and save the cost of jails. Better yet save court costs, cost for room and board for jhailbirds by shooting them beofre they get to court
Thogwummpy
September 6th, 2012
1:25 pm
Actually, if someone steals any of my guitars…sure, I’d support the death penalty for ‘em! That said, if I catch them in my home during the theft, the question becomes moot as they’ll get summary capital justice on the spot.
Braves #17 Fan
September 6th, 2012
2:43 pm
Jim, you should have a comma after the first word in your second sentence. Also, Tag’s post doesn’t include a run-on sentence. Lastly, your name should be capitalized.
kenhotlanta
September 6th, 2012
2:48 pm
People in jail should not be allowed to watch TV, surf the web, or read all day. They should work at hard labor from dawn to dusk every day cleaning up the cities, towns and countryside.
Jail should be a deterrent, not a place to “get away from it all for awhile”.
BB King
September 6th, 2012
2:53 pm
Those got darn guitars belongs to me….and the freaking cops want return em ova. Such a wet rag!
Mike Bell 790
September 6th, 2012
2:58 pm
FIRST!!!
Steve
September 6th, 2012
3:10 pm
Ok,, to you guys complaining about jail costs (Jim, etc), I don’t care if you shoot em. But, not sending them or those like them to prison is not the answer.
Pig Slop
September 6th, 2012
3:15 pm
I heard on the news this morning that it was a teacher or employee at nearby Lockheed elementary school who noticed the dumped loot and called the police, not officers who “stumbled upon a pile of guitar cases and amplifiers and then the instruments about 100 yards off Merritt Road”.
Tom
September 6th, 2012
3:23 pm
“Shoot em in the head, Wardell”
Sid Vicious
September 6th, 2012
3:23 pm
Thogwummpy – You nailed it on the head – I would almost put one of my guitars on the porch & dare ANYONE to come & try to get it – Justice on the spot indeed…
I feel bad for the victim & I hope they recover all their things.
Nona
September 6th, 2012
3:34 pm
We spend more per prisoner than we do per student in public schools. If that formula was reversed, we probably wouldn’t need nearly as many jails. The goal isn’t to put more people in jail. The goal is to reduce the need for jails as much as possible by reducing crime.
joeybiten
September 6th, 2012
3:44 pm
wonder why these good folks were not at the democrat convention…
old man
September 6th, 2012
3:52 pm
joeybiten
September 6th, 2012
3:44 pm
wonder why these good folks were not at the democrat convention…
========================================================================- joey, there are no good folks at the democratic convention.
John
September 6th, 2012
4:14 pm
Jim-Please look up definition and examples of a run-on sentence. The sentence which you decribed as run-on is in fact ungrammatical, but it’s not run-on.
Antiquer
September 6th, 2012
4:27 pm
I own a small business just outside of Atlanta. Lately, there has been an uptick in theft. We have lost several thousand dollars in merchandise from our own business. I have heard several people say, well, the times are bad, there are no jobs, blah, blah, blah. A thief is a thief, no excuses. And the Barney Fife police force here is not helpful at all.
ImmediateJustice
September 6th, 2012
4:36 pm
‘Would love to catch a thief in the act, police and court system would not be burdened and tax payers money would not be wasted on keeping a criminal in the big house. Buzzards and worms gotta eat too.
MasterSleuth
September 6th, 2012
4:41 pm
There’s only one explanation: the thief was left-handed.
Diogenes
September 6th, 2012
4:50 pm
Braves #17 Fan, Thank you for a great response to Jim.
Valerie King
September 6th, 2012
4:50 pm
If the only thing missing were the guitars then it is someone that knew this family, knew they were out of town & that they had this collection. I would advise that they put those guitars in a safe and get a serious alarm system. Good work by the Marietta PD in finding these owners via the serial numbers. This is one lucky dude!
Woody
September 6th, 2012
5:03 pm
take my guns before my guitars…
Greg Montgomery
September 6th, 2012
5:10 pm
I was lucky enough to do a quick appraisal on these instruments for the Police. Very nice collection. I am so glad they found their way home..
whoever did this should be ashamed. It’s pretty low to mess with a man’s guitars!
Mrs Doubtfire
September 6th, 2012
5:12 pm
Is it crime is every where or is it crime is everywhere?
@Thogwummpy
Summary capital justice? Heck, I’d just shoot ‘em! Hello Remington 870 Pump!!
Slash Ouch
September 6th, 2012
5:18 pm
Come on. List the guitars and show pictures. Guitar geeks want to see.
Mrs Doubtfire
September 6th, 2012
5:22 pm
@Greg Montgomery
Well tell us what they were…………..? A little info please.
Les Pauls? Martins? Strombergs? D’Angelicos? Strats? ES 335’s?
Crime Time blogger
September 6th, 2012
5:45 pm
I could, if I had access to that information. It wasn’t included in the police report. Trust me, I want to see those guitars too!
Bob
September 6th, 2012
6:12 pm
Find them. Flog them publicly. Have them pay resitution or if they can’t afford, work as slaves for the victims until restituion is paid, and then let them go, having paid their debt. We don’t need more people in Crime School, eating and recreating on taxpayer dollars and learning how to commit crime more efficiently from their inmate crime tutors.
Will Jones - Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis
September 6th, 2012
7:07 pm
If the crimes in high places are adjudicated, e.g., trial and execution of Bush and Cheney for their universally recognized, scientifically proven 9/11 treason; and, their satanic fascist psychopathic kleptocracy, the Fifth Column of the Roman Anti-Christ we came here to escape, is fully expropriated, restoring the People’s moral authority under the Creator alone, peace and justice will be on our holy and righteous land, with none able to justify wrongdoing “because the rich and powerful are doing it too.”
Rockit
September 7th, 2012
5:08 am
I’m guessing they belonged to Gary Rossington. He lives near the Cherokee/Fulton line.
piel c sue
September 8th, 2012
3:20 pm
@jim, r u en Eingwish techa?
you will never know
September 8th, 2012
7:32 pm
I’m so glad he was arrested for this. I know the person and he has a record!! He needs to be behind bars. LO LIFE LOSER.
STRUNG UP! Alleged guitar thief arrested | 2unes Music News
September 9th, 2012
1:15 am
[...] to a sequence numbers on a guitars, officers were means to lapse them to their owner. And interjection to a neighbor who happened to jot down a tab series of a questionable vehicle, [...]
Pray for his kids
September 11th, 2012
6:54 pm
I know this person too and “you will never know”.. Seriously.. You probably have a record too. Everyone has done something stupid. NO I DO NOT say what he did was okay and yes he should be in Jail and punished to the extent of the law but seriously …There are losers and then there are people that have serious problems and need help. Maybe you should evaluate yourself cause as I see it only “LO LIFE LOSERS” post crap like that.. I feel sorry for his children and the mothers that have to raise them alone.
Again I do not approve of what he did and I believe in the justice system.. Hopefully he can get help. WE all have done dumb stuff and we have all hopefully been given a second chance or so. DON’T GIVE UP SO EASY ON PEOPLE…
Shame on you
September 11th, 2012
9:03 pm
to “you will never know” – i will pray for you tonight when I am praying for John and his family. Yes, he committed a crime. And yes, he needs to take responsibility for his actions. I’m sure you’ve done things in your life that you aren’t proud of too. So don’t be so quick to judge. ESPECIALLY if you are a friend of BIll Wilson – which I am going to bet you are. He is a very sick person and he needs help more than anyone I know. I am not condoning his actions because they were very very wrong. And I hope this is the wake up call that he needs to get the help he needs. Because if you do “know him” then you know he needs HELP. I hope that once he has paid for his actions, he will continue this journey to get the help that he needs. So think about this before you start casting stones.