Re:my guitar....
October 14, 11 3:36 PM
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1st time..... it was stolen off a military base. One of the patrons saw another Marine head out the door with it thinking he was helping us load out. The club manager said he would recognize the guy again if he saw him.... Two weeks later the guy went back to the club to have a few beers with friends. the manager recognized him and called the Naval Investigative Service. They arrested him and questioned him.
He had carried it to Philadelphia from NC and gave it to his brother who was a fence. The Philly PD was watching the house (they knew about the fencing operation) and a few days later they busted the brother and raided the house recovering my SG in the process. Since I had given my serial number they ID'd it and returned it to the NIS who called me and I got it back 6 months after it was taken.
The second time: I came home from work to find the glass in my door broken and the door ajar. I went in and my guitar, bass, Teac 4 track and small practice amp were all missing. the TV, stereo, money and other stuff was not touched. The lady who lived 2 doors up and babysat for my girl friend at the time said she saw a car and a guy throwing something into the back seat earlier in the day. She had gotten up to get a cup of coffee and looked out the window. With the car's description, and the fact that only music gear was taken, I figured it had to be a musician. 2 guys in town had cars that fit the basic description. One had a rich daddy and didn't need my gear, the other one was a prime suspect so I went to see him. His dad answered the door and said he was working. I explained what I though happened and that his son might be involved. Needless to say he got mad, but told me where his son was and swore that if his son had done this, his son would be made to make it right.
I went to see the boy and he was nervous. Said he wanted to come and talk with me later. I had a gig so I told him where I would be.
I went home and called the PD. they got mad when they showed up that I took so long to call them. I explained that I think I knew who did it, had basically done their work for them and that he was going to meet me at the club at 9pm.
As it turned out, it was that bands first gig and I was a bit late getting there. Everyone was pissed but I told them I'd explain it all on the break...lets play.
the boy came in and sat down and ordered a beer.
5 minutes later the police came in, walked up to the stage, flashed badges between songs. I pointed him out. The police escorted him out...the band looked at me like...WTH is going on here?
I explained it to the band and the next day the PD called for me to come and ID the gear. I got it all back. he had taken the guitar and amp to a friends house, the bass to another friends house and threw the Teac 4 track into a ditch up the road from his house.
The marines handled the prosecution of the marine..... and the PD handled the kid.... first time offender, cooperated fully, promised to be a good boy when he spoke with the judge.... placed on probation for a year.
As a side note to this story: In a later incarnation of that band I was gigging with, I ended up needing a good guitar player. I called the kid... this was like 2 or 3 yrs later.... and hired him to play in the band. When I first met him he was the brother of a girl the drummer was "dating" at the time. He could play some amazing stuff....Segovia and other classical stuff....all self taught and at 24 months of experience, could play circles around me. I think he played in my band for about 8 months or so before he became bored with country. I told him he needed to move to LA where he could play with cats that could show him some things...... never saw him or heard from him again.
My website & music:
www.herbhartley.com MC4/5/6/X1e.c, on a Custom DAW
Focusrite Firewire Saffire Interface
BMI/NSAI
"Just as the blade chooses the warrior, so too, the song chooses the writer "