Latest news with #GarfieldBennett
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nancy Wilson's Stolen Custom Guitar Recovered By New Jersey Police
One of two irreplaceable instruments stolen from the band Heart at a New Jersey venue two weeks ago has been retrieved. According to the Associated Press, on Tuesday (June 10), police in Atlantic City said they had recovered the purple baritone Telecaster guitar with ah hand-painted headstock belonging to guitarist Nancy Wilson from a woman who bought it from the suspected thief. Detectives said surveillance video showed the suspect handing the Telecaster over to the woman, who put the instrument in her car, which was parked several blocks away from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino venue where Heart had been scheduled top perform. Police employed automated license plate readers to identify the vehicle and then tracked its location to find the woman, who voluntarily surrendered the guitar; Garfield Bennett, the 57-year-old Pleasantville, New Jersey man she bought it from for an undisclosed amount has been charged with burglary and theft. More from Billboard Cloonee Postpones L.A. Shows Amid ICE Raids: 'I Will Not Throw a Party Whilst the Latino People Who Have Supported Me in This City Are Hurting' Leon Thomas' 'Mutt' Snatches Third Radio Crown of 2025 The Alchemist Could've Been on Lil Wayne's 'Tha Carter VI': 'I Was Just Overthinking It' The guitar — and a vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin that band member Paul Moak has played for more than 25 years that has still not been recovered — were nicked the night before the veteran band kicked off their An Evening With Heart summer tour on May 31. Officials said Bennett has a long criminal record and was previously arrested in April for a prior burglary. Before Wilson's custom-built guitar was recovered, the band co-founder said in a statement, 'These instruments are more than just tools of our trade — they're extensions of our musical souls. The baritone Tele was made uniquely for me, and Paul's mandolin has been with him for decades. We're heartbroken, and we're asking for their safe return — no questions asked. Their value to us is immeasurable.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
NBC News
10-06-2025
- NBC News
Atlantic City police recover guitar stolen from the band Heart
One of two instruments recently stolen from the band Heart as they were set to embark on the 'An Evening With Heart' tour in Atlantic City, New Jersey, has been recovered. On Tuesday, police in Atlantic City announced that they have recovered a Fender Telecaster that belonged to the band after officers followed the man charged with stealing the instruments, Garfield Bennett, 57, of Pleasantville, New Jersey, after the theft. Officials said that Bennett 'was observed giving the guitar to a woman who put the guitar in a vehicle' along the 1300 block of Pacific Avenue. Investigators tracked the vehicle using automated license readers after this incident and pulled it over shortly afterwards, police said. The woman voluntarily turned over the instrument and, police said, she told officers that she had bought the guitar from Bennett. The guitar has been turned over to representatives of the Hard Rock Atlantic City, and officials said, it will be returned to the Heart band members. '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,' said Chief James A. Sarkos in a statement on the incident. 'The Atlantic City Police Department embraces technology that allows our officers to investigate and combat crime.' Officials said that the theft happened around 2 a.m. on May 30, 2025, at the Hard Rock Atlantic City inside the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena. The instruments -- a guitar and a mandolin -- belonged to the band Heart who were playing a concert at the venue. The location of the mandolin is still being investigated. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Atlantic City Police Department Criminal Investigations Section at 609-347-5766 or submit a text anonymously to tip411 (847411). Begin the text with 'ACPD.'
CBS News
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Rock band Heart gets one of their stolen instruments back, Atlantic City police say
One of the two instruments stolen from the rock band Heart after they set up for a recent show in Atlantic City, New Jersey, has been returned, police said Tuesday. A purple Telecaster electric guitar specially made for Nancy Wilson is now back in the possession of Hard Rock Atlantic City, which will return it to the band. Meanwhile, investigators continue looking for a missing mandolin. Atlantic City police said the theft occurred after Heart set up gear ahead of a May 30 show at the Etess Arena at Hard Rock. Police used surveillance video to track a suspect, later identified as 57-year-old Garfield Bennett, of Pleasantville. Detectives learned Bennett allegedly sold the guitar to a woman. The footage showed Bennett handing her the guitar before she placed it in a vehicle on the 1300 block of Pacific Avenue. Automatic license plate readers were then used to identify the woman's vehicle, and data from the readers showed the vehicle was still in Atlantic City. A guitar and mandolin were stolen from the Heart concert at the Hard Rock Atlantic City on May 30 and police are searching for them. Atlantic City Police Department An officer located the woman and spoke to her, and she then voluntarily surrendered the instrument. The still-missing instrument is a 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin, which performer Paul Moak has played for over 25 years. Police previously stated that the instruments should be returned or any potential purchaser could be charged with receiving stolen property. "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 in a news release. "The Atlantic City Police Department embraces technology that allows our officers to investigate and combat crime." On her Instagram page, Wilson previously thanked "fans, fellow musicians, media outlets, and kind-hearted people from around the world" for their support after the theft was announced. "It means the world to us. Your support has been amazing!" she wrote. Wilson has not yet posted about the recovered guitar.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Man Charged After Classic Rock Band's Instruments Were Stolen on Eve of Tour Launch
Man Charged After Classic Rock Band's Instruments Were Stolen on Eve of Tour Launch originally appeared on Parade. After Heart's custom instruments were stolen on the eve of its tour launch, a New Jersey man has been arrested and charged. Garfield Bennett, 57, of Pleasantville, N.J., was charged with stealing a guitar and a mandolin from the classic rock band before its Hard Rock Atlantic City concert on May 31, NBC Philadelphia reported. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 The guitar was a custom-built, purple sparkle baritone Telecaster with a hand-painted headstock made for . Meanwhile, the mandolin was a vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 played by . After obtaining surveillance footage of the May 30 theft, investigators identified Bennett as the suspect. He was caught on camera walking in Atlantic City attempting to sell the instruments, police said. Bennett was charged with burglary and theft on June 4. Bennett has an extensive criminal record and was most recently arrested in April 2025 for a burglary. According to police, Bennett successfully sold one of the instruments. Law enforcement urged anyone in possession of it to contact Atlantic City Police and surrender the property; they will be arrested and charged for receiving stolen property if they don't do so. 'These instruments are more than just tools of our trade—they're extensions of our musical souls,' Wilson in a statement. 'The baritone Tele was made uniquely for me, and Paul's mandolin has been with him for decades. We're heartbroken, and we're asking for their safe return—no questions asked. Their value to us is immeasurable.' In light of the burglary, Heart has continued its Royal Flush Tour, which runs through Aug. 30, 2025. The show must go on! Those who have information about the stolen instrument should contact the Atlantic City Police Department at 609-347-5766 or send an anonymous text to tip411 (847411). Next: Man Charged After Classic Rock Band's Instruments Were Stolen on Eve of Tour Launch first appeared on Parade on Jun 6, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Jersey Man Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Heart Instruments
A New Jersey man has been arrested for allegedly stealing a pair of instruments from Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Heart. Just days after the band offered a reward for the return of a custom guitar and mandolin they said were stolen from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City on the night before they kicked off their An Evening With Heart summer tour on Saturday (May 31), the Associated Press reported on Thursday (June 5) that a Pleasantville, N.J. man has been taken into custody. Atlantic City police said surveillance video first led them to the 57-year-old suspect, who was allegedly seen on video walking through the city trying to sell the instruments. Authorities said that the man eventually succeeded in selling one, while the other is currently unaccounted for — at press time it was unclear which instrument was sold and which one was still missing. More from Billboard Heart Offering Reward After Two Custom Instruments Stolen Before Atlantic City Show: 'Their Value to Us Is Immeasurable' Queens of the Stone Age Couldn't 'Over-Rehearse' for Paris Catacombs Concert Film: 'You Go Down There & All the Plans Are Off' Billboard & Global Venture Partners Launch Billboard Africa According to NBC 10 Philadelphia, investigators obtained video footage of the theft, which they said took place around 2 a.m. on May 30. They identified the suspect as Garfield Bennett and charged him with theft and burglary on Wednesday (June 4). Officials reported that Bennett has a long criminal record and was previously arrested in April for a prior burglary. Prior to the arrest, Heart described the missing items as a 'custom-built, one-of-a-kind purple sparkle baritone Telecaster with a hand-painted headstock, crafted specifically for [guitarist] Nancy Wilson,' as well as a 'vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin' that band member Paul Moak has played for over 25 years. In a statement, band co-founder Wilson, said, 'These instruments are more than just tools of our trade — they're extensions of our musical souls. The baritone Tele was made uniquely for me, and Paul's mandolin has been with him for decades. We're heartbroken, and we're asking for their safe return — no questions asked. Their value to us is immeasurable.' Police told NBC 10 that they are not sure where Bennett sold the instrument and are asking anyone in possession of the other one to alert Atlantic City Police to return it, warning anyone in possession of the stolen item that they will be arrested and charged with receiving stolen property if they don't hand it over. 'If you've got the guitars, bring them back. Turn them in. No questions asked,' Atlantic City Director of Public Safety Sean Riggin told the channel. 'If we continue looking and we have to find them, there are absolutely going to be serious criminal charges.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
