Unexpected Return of Stolen Mandolins
A thief, possibly a bit tipsy, decided to return two mandolins he had stolen from a New Jersey music shop. This act of remorse came just days after the owner had begun to search for the missing instruments on social media.
The individual casually dropped off the mandolins at Lark Street Music in Teaneck on Friday. This occurred four days after he brazenly grabbed the instruments off the wall and hid them in his coat. Along with the instruments, he left a handwritten note that simply read, “Sorry, I was drunk. Merry Christmas.”
The note, written on graph paper, also had a somewhat awkward compliment: “You are a good person.”
This strange act of contrition followed the online sharing of surveillance footage that documented the incident. In the video, a man is seen taking a Gibson F-12 and a Weber Yellowstone before hurriedly exiting the store.
The social media post quickly gained traction, and the owner subsequently admitted that the viral attention likely persuaded the suspect to return the stolen items.
“We have recovered the mandolins! Thank you for spreading the video of the two stolen mandolins,” the store announced on Facebook, sharing a photo of the returned instruments along with the curious handwritten note.
The store’s owner described an exciting moment shortly after the return: “An hour ago, a thief sneaked open my front door and returned it in two shopping bags. I sprinted after him but lost him, so I called 911. It felt like I was in a movie.”
As of now, it remains unclear whether the thief has been arrested.
The Teaneck Police Department has yet to comment on the situation, and attempts to reach the owner of Lark Street Music were unsuccessful.
