Guitar Theft Hits North Olmsted Music Store

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A high-end guitar worth nearly $7,700 was stolen from a Guitar Center store in North Olmsted, Ohio. Employees noticed the Collings I35 LC V Natural hollow body guitar missing when closing up the store on February 22nd, after it had been in stock earlier that day. Police are investigating a suspicious person seen with a guitar case, and have advised the store chain to alert local pawn shops in case the thief tries to sell the stolen instrument.

Why it matters

Guitar thefts can be a persistent issue for music retailers, with valuable instruments targeted by thieves. This incident highlights the challenges stores face in preventing such crimes, and the importance of vigilance and coordination with law enforcement to recover stolen goods.

The details

According to the police report, the Collings guitar was in stock when the Guitar Center store opened at 11am on February 22nd, but was found missing by employees closing up at 8:30pm that evening. A store manager provided police with a description of a suspicious person carrying a guitar case who had been in the store that day, but did not see the individual take the instrument. Police have advised the store's loss prevention team to notify local pawn shops and other guitar retailers to be on the lookout in case the thief tries to sell the stolen Collings guitar.

• The guitar was in stock when the store opened at 11am on February 22nd.
• The guitar was discovered missing by employees closing up at 8:30pm on February 22nd.

What’s next

Police are continuing to investigate the theft and have advised the store to alert local pawn shops in case the thief tries to sell the stolen guitar.