15 replies to this topic

[bbcentral]

(This is from an email he sent out yesterday)

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Hey all my Friends...
Usually I'm just sending annoying emails about my GIGS...but this one is important!

My Son's Apt in Roselle Park, NJ was ROBBED last Saturday by three pieces of GARBAGE diguised as HUMANS by wearing SKI MASKS....

They took several Guitars, Jared saved for 3 summers for his:

GRETSCH BLACK FALCON and BURGUNDY
GRETSCH Tennesse Rose....I will post the serial numbers in another email...

Looks like they've been hittin all over Central jersey so please careful, they also beat the crap out of 2 of his friends that happen to be be in the apt at the time....

here is a link to a soundbyte and the article........if you hear anything please call the Roselle park police......please check this article out...it's short

http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/3757070.php

(And this is the second email he sent today to his email list)

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I can't thank you all enough on this wonderful EMAIL list of mine...what friendship and support like I've NEVER seen...Offers of loaner Guitars!!! Offers to Chip in on a new one!!! and just plain old GREAT info onto how to get these things back...I Love you all !!!!
The Guitar Center and Sam Ash have been Notified....and the word is out on Craigs List and Ebay
Thanx to my good friend STEVE KATZ both Guitars are now registered with: (thanx Steve!)
stolenguitarregistry.com

I know your not ALL musicians on this list, but I wanted to remind any players that THIS would be a good time to INSURE your gear if you haven't done so already, DON'T put it off like I did....you never know when these little Vermin will come out to pay you a visit. Thanx also to Mitch Eisenberg for all his help with this....These bastards even took his WASHBURN Banjo!! I have a feeling these Guitars may be going over to EUROPE and sold for BIG BUCKS......who knows???

Here are the Serial & Model Numbers of my Son's Guitars Falcon BOTH STOLEN on 1/24/09 in Roselle Park, NJ
any leads call The Roselle Park Police at ( 908 ) 245-2300

and here are the links to the news reports for those that missed it:
WCBS NEWSRADIO 880 - Guitar Theft Ring in New Jersey
Essex and Union County guitar thefts baffle authorities - Breaking News From New Jersey - NJ.com

1) GRETSCH BLACK FALCON W/ BIGSBY Model G6136T-BK Serial# JT04127823 bought 2006
2) GRETSCH (Burgundy) TENNESSEE ROSE Model G6119 Serial# JT03074593 bought 2004

[ChAnOoD_bLuEs]

Yes, I got those mails too... I didn´t know if I should post on the board or not... Hope they´ll catch the baddies!

[bbcentral]

ChAnOoD_bLuEs said:

Yes, I got those mails too... I didn´t know if I should post on the board or not... Hope they´ll catch the baddies!

I hope so too!

And you never know, what if one of our members sees the guitars on eBay or something? Anything's possible if we get enough people looking

[TWANG]

I posted both of the above notices and information elsewhere.. to guitarists.
They'll be looking, too, you can count on that.
Really sorry about this happening to you.
Best of luck!

TWANG

[Syd-Blues]

I check eBay every couple of hours....

I'm also looking for the stolen Sonic Youth gearfrom forever ago.

I honestly think these things go to Hard Rock Cafe. I'm nto saying Hard Rock is crooked or anything, but you never know.

[bbcentral]

Syd-Blues said:

I honestly think these things go to Hard Rock Cafe. I'm nto saying Hard Rock is crooked or anything, but you never know.

They probably just don't check too hard when they buy something for their collection.

[Syd-Blues]

Exactly my point. It just seems like a place where it does matter HOW they get it, it just matters that they get it.

[Steam McQueen]

These are clearly no random crimes.

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The three police departments are also working to determine whether the victims shared anything in common, such as membership in online music forums.

Cyber crooks. Stalking your gear ... finding your address. It's scary sh*t.

:neutral:

[bbcentral]

Steam McQueen said:

Cyber crooks. Stalking your gear ... finding your address. It's scary sh*t.

:neutral:

I hope this doesn't mean we have to make the Guitar thread members only so the public can't see what everyone owns?

It would be a total shame if that was the case.

[Steam McQueen]

Cripes, I don't want to sound like an alarmist, but after reading the above news links it seems like these crimes have a common thread. In New Jersey anyway. The assault and theft at Mr. Paparozzi's being a scary read indeed.

:neutral:

[ChAnOoD_bLuEs]

Well, Rob was a mix between a crime investigator and dancing harpist, so he got good news for his son:

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I just wanted to update you all on the Robbery-Theft at my Son's Apt on 1/24.

I blitzed YOU ALL with my emails and the Serial Numbers and Picture, but really NEVER THOUGHT we'd see these GUITARS again...The 3rd Guitar was was my Son's friend a SCHECTER....

Well, here's how it went....

On Super Bowl Sunday Morning...I get an Email from Roxy Perry who has been BLITZING MY emails all over the NET to MySpace, YouTube everywhere!!!! She sent me an ITEM number that one of her MySpace Buddies in NASHVILLE spied on EBAY after seeing her ALERT on the Stolen Guitar (2 Gretsch's). Roxy & her husband Bob even looked at the pictures that the auctioneer had up on his EBAY site and saw the Serial Numbers were HARD to read but looked CLOSE!

I immediately went to the EBAY ITEM and USED a Magnifying Glass and Blew it up on my PC a bit more (like they do on CSI !!!!,-) BINGO except the last number was kinda' GLARED and unreadable.

I call JARED who is sleeping and not answering his PHONE on a Sunday Morning (typical 22 yr old)

He finally gets my TEXT and VM's and says "Holy Crap, it's my GUITAR they even left the the Turquoise blue STRAP on it."..Jared's friend who is good with computers was able to DE-GLARE the shot and blow it up more and BINGO, the exact Serial Number was matched.

Now I'm signed onto to EBAY and see that there are prospective BUYERS that want the FALCON and were asking about shipping FEES to NORWAY and even AUSTRALIA !!! I knew I had to move fast. The SELLER was listed as a LAKEWOOD NJ location. One of these place's off Rt.9 that you can PAWN stuff at and the seller appeared to have a VERY BIG EBAY LEGIT type BIZ going.

I tried calling the Roselle Park & Lakewood Police...but I'll tell ya'...don't ever have PROBLEM on SUPER BOWL SUNDAY...dispatchers took info but NO ONE wants to actually work on that day..as SPRINGSTEEN yelled on TV..."Put down that Guacamole!!!!!!!"

I knew if I blew the whistle to EBAY that the Guitar would come DOWN from bidding and who knows where it would have disappeared to., so I decided to "ask the seller a question" which is an option you have when on EBAY....at that time the highest BID was $1,125 and the auction was to run to Feb 9th, 2009...

I wrote, "Wow NICE guitar! I could give you $1500 cash, but I'd love to see it in person and since I'm in NJ too no shipping is needed...."

He responded..."You can see it Tomorrow, But I want to see how the auction goes" so obviously he hasn't a clue these are HOT items . In another email he gives me his address and says come between 11-5 on MONDAY AND I also have a Gretsch Tennessee Rose and a Schecter Guitar as well if your interested"

BIG BINGO!!! I write back..."Great, I'm a collector and very interested so I'll see you tomorrow"

I even got on the phone with the UNION COUNTY Prosecutors via an old connection I had there but again not much we could do as this was a STORE and it was closed on Sunday etc...

I gathered all the PHOTOS, original receipts and EMAIL & EBAY stuff and bring it to the PD with Jared on Monday Morning....The Detective wasn't there as he was heading to LAKEWOOD from Home to investigate...he called me and I gave him the rest of the info by phone.

The Guitars all 3 were taken back by the Roselle Park Detective...however they are still at the PD and hopefully that weren't banged up too bad. when these Vermin Robbed them, they carried them out in there F|ST w/ NO Cases and the kids said 'they were banging together'....

More importantly, Jared's two injured friends are on the MEND and OK and let's hope that the EBAY bust leads to some SOLID Leads to catching these 3 TURDS in Ski masks.

I will keep you posted...but again THANK each and EVERYONE of you for the Generous offers of $$$, Loaners and just Good old GREAT info on to how and get these back...IT ALL HELPED and to know you have a SUPPORT team like we have on this LIST just BLOWS ME AWAY!!!! We even had some players in Europe who responded that they would notify Guitar dealers there!!!! My Son Jared also is in Shock by the generosity and concern on his DAD's email list and wants to thank you ALL for the help and support...
I'm just Happy that the kids are safe and they are glad to get their instruments BACK and now I can get back to Practicing my Harmonica!

Great to know that!

[Cropper Classic]

Outstanding news.

[TWANG]

this is great. congrats!

TWANG

[Syd-Blues]

Amazing news!

[bluesharp]

Great news,please keep us posted!!

[George Thorson]

Is the thieves still free.