Vintage Guitars Stolen From Tom Petty at Culver Studios Are Recovered
Culver City Police recovered five guitars belonging to rock and roll legend Tom Petty on Monday. The guitars were stolen on Thursday, April 12 from a sound stage at Culver Studios where Tom Petty and his band Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers were rehearsing for their upcoming concert tour. A fifth guitar was reported missing the following day.
After an investigation CCPD Detectives obtained a search and arrest warrant for 51-yea- old security guard Daryl Washington of Los Angeles. The police department reported that Washington was taken into custody without incident and the stolen guitars were quickly recovered.
The break in the case came when the suspect reportedly pawned one of the guitars at a Hollywood pawn shop for $250.
Washington was employed by a private security firm that was under contract at the Culver Studios.
Petty, who was described by police as “extremely relieved”, had posted pictures of the guitars on his website and offered a $7500 “no questions asked” reward for their return.
Tom Petty said, "I am extremely grateful to the Culver City Police Department for a job well done and touched by the outpouring of good wishes and concern from our fans and friends."
Culver City Police Lt. Ron Iizuka said, adding, "We believe that there is very strong and compelling evidence in this case."
At a press conference Culver City Police Chief Don Pedersen said, “I should tell you also all these guitars have a very special value to Mr. Petty because if you take a look at these guitars, each and every one of them has been responsible for creating one of his greatest hits in the last 30 years,"
The guitars belonged to Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Ron Blair and Scott Thurston and were used in making some of Petty’s biggest hits. The guitars were vintage models dating back to 1967.
One of the guitars was built for guitarist Mike Campbell to commemorate the band's 30th anniversary. Others included Petty's blond 1967 maple 12-string Rickenbacker and his Gibson SGTVJunior, Ron Blair's Fender Broadcaster and Scott Thurston's 1967 Epiphone Sheridan.
The recovery came just in time as Petty and his band began their world concert tour in Colorado on Wednesday night.
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