Guitar stolen from hit ’80s band in Atlantic City recovered in dramatic tech-aided police hunt

🎸 One of the guitars stolen from the Hard Rock has been recovered by police

🎸 The guitars were stolen from the stage where they were set up for a concert

🎸 Police utilize technology to track down the woman who had the guitar

ATLANTIC CITY — One of the two guitars stolen before Heart's concert at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on May 31 has been recovered thanks to the use of technology.

Atlantic City police said they were able to use surveillance video to determine where the suspect, Garfield Bennett, went after a guitar and mandolin were stolen from Heart's concert setup inside the Mark Etess Arena.  Video shows Bennett selling the one-of-a-kind purple sparkle baritone Telecaster to a woman on Pacific Avenue, who then put it into a vehicle, police said.

The department’s automated license plate reader was utilized to identify and locate the vehicle, which was still in Atlantic City. An officer found the driver who voluntarily turned the guitar over.

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Search for stolen vintage mandolin continues

The guitar has been returned to the Hard Rock, which will return the guitar to Wilson, according to police.

“The continued use of advancing technology and the hard work and determination from our detectives and patrol officers led to the quick recovery of one of the missing instruments,” Chief James A. Sarkos said. “The Atlantic City Police Department embraces technology that allows our officers to investigate and combat crime.”

The investigation into the missing vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin belonging to guitarist Paul Moak is ongoing.

Bennett, 57, of Pleasantville, is charged with burglary and theft.

Police warned that whoever has the mandolin should contact them to voluntarily surrender the instrument. Otherwise, whoever is found with it will be arrested and criminally charged with receiving stolen property.

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