Theft ring linked to online forums?

[Vass]

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1233293158132600.xml&coll=1

They're not stealing high end stuff for the most part, but interesting. Speculation about forums at the end.
Guitars are pick of these thieves

Owners gently weep at rash of ax thefts
Friday, January 30, 2009 BY LESLIE KWOH
Star-Ledger Staff

There must be a rock band out there in serious need of some new strings.
In recent months, police in several New Jersey towns have noticed an unusual number of burglaries involving more than $11,000 worth of expensive guitars with brand names like Fender, Gretsch, Iba nez, Martin, Schecter and Squire.
In all, 11 guitars and one ampli fier have been stolen in six separate burglaries at homes in Summit, Roselle Park and Montclair. In one of the incidents, a group of masked intruders beat up several of the residents who were home at the time. Now, authorities from the three towns are working together to determine whether the incidents are linked.
"This is certainly unusual," Montclair Police Lt. James Carlucci said. "I don't ever really recall our town having burglaries where gui tars were stolen at such a high fre quency."
For Montclair, the trouble began in early November, when a $500 Fender Stratocaster electric guitar was stolen from an apart ment while its residents were gone during the day, Carlucci said.
Police started to suspect they were dealing with a serious problem in December, when two Fender electrics, valued at $200 and $600, went missing from two homes in a span of four days. That was shortly before another three electric gui tars, a 1961 Martin and two Ibanez basses worth $2,600, were snatched in a break-in, along with an Apple computer and iPod.
The musical mayhem reached Union County on Tuesday, when two towns reported guitar burglaries within hours of each other. In Roselle Park, a group of brazen thieves wearing ski masks entered an unlocked apartment, which was occupied by five males at the time, and assaulted two of the residents by repeatedly hitting and kicking them, police said. By the time officers responded, $7,000 worth of gui tars were gone, including a Schecter Diamond series, a Gretsch Tennessee Rose and a Gretsch Black Falcon. Police noted the group left behind other valuable electronics.
Meanwhile, residents of a Summit home awoke the same day to find missing their Fender Musicmaster bass, a Squire Telecaster and a Fender amplifier -- valued at a total of $850.
Police said it was unusual that the thieves had entered the homes even though they were occupied at the time.
"It's not common because most burglars target houses when people aren't home," said Summit Police Lt. Steven Zagorski.
Carlucci said officers in Mont clair have been scouring websites like eBay and Craigslist to see whether the guitars are being re sold. The three departments are also working to determine whether the victims shared anything in common, such as membership in online music forums, he

[StukaJU87]

I'd suspect they were advertised on Cragslist and when the address was given to come see them, bam. A coworker got a notchback Mustang stolen off his property that way.

Gave directions to the perp to come see the car and a day or so later it was stolen during the night.

[Vass]

Hmm interesting. :idea:

Where do you live again exactly, Scott?


Hey, it's the Jersey way!

[StukaJU87]

Hmm interesting. :idea:

Where do you live again exactly, Scott?


Hey, it's the Jersey way!

[toejam]

Damn. I had a guitar on Craigslist two weeks ago, some guy a couple towns over wanted it for his teenage son, he came by and gave me cash and all was cool. He did play that and a couple other guitars real quick, but he said he's a bass player and doesn't know much about guitars. If my car or anything else goes missing, I'll have to track him down.

[Spivonious]

So the thieves came in to a room with 5 males and got away with $7000 worth of gear? If I was in there with a group of friends, I don't think they'd get away with anything unless some sort of gun was displayed.

[lerxstcat]

So the thieves came in to a room with 5 males and got away with $7000 worth of gear? If I was in there with a group of friends, I don't think they'd get away with anything unless some sort of gun was displayed.

There probably was some kind of weapon involved, but consider if they grabbed one person and put a knife to their throat, or otherwise threatened them with death, the rest would probably comply to save their friend or family member, whatever it was.

This is why I don't like Craigslist. People get to case your house.

[AK47]

If these guys attemepted this at my house the authorities would not even bother calling the EMTs it would be a call for the Coroner to come pick up the bodies.

My friends always joke around and say that deep down I am secretly wishing someone would attempt a break in so I can unleash holy hell on them.

[RacerX]

If I ever put anything on CL, I would never have a buyer come to my home. My office maybe, or better yet, a local restaurant.

[atomic charvel guy]

"That was shortly before another three electric gui tars, a 1961 Martin and two Ibanez basses worth $2,600, were snatched in a break-in, along with an Apple computer and iPod. "

'61 martin-$2599.00
2 ibanez basses-$1.00

[joelayres]

Never new Squier was a name brand ....... just sayin'

[gtrbuyer]

"That was shortly before another three electric gui tars, a 1961 Martin and two Ibanez basses worth $2,600, were snatched in a break-in, along with an Apple computer and iPod. "

'61 martin-$2599.00
2 ibanez basses-$1.00

too funny tommy.....lol

[Newc]

There probably was some kind of weapon involved, but consider if they grabbed one person and put a knife to their throat, or otherwise threatened them with death, the rest would probably comply to save their friend or family member, whatever it was.

This is why I don't like Craigslist. People get to case your house.

and assaulted two of the residents by repeatedly hitting and kicking them, police said. By the time officers responded, $7,000 worth of gui tars were gone, including a Schecter Diamond series, a Gretsch Tennessee Rose and a Gretsch Black Falcon.

Hmmm. Emo/Goth band? One thing about all those face piercings - all it takes is one good punch to basically cripple them
If it was Emos, they probably kept them at bay with Playboy Centerfolds and fashion criticism

[guitarsjb]

If I ever put anything on CL, I would never have a buyer come to my home. My office maybe, or better yet, a local restaurant.

yep.

[Grandturk]

Geeze - You'd think they'd at least steal something worth some decent money. Sit outside of Rudy's in NYC long enough and some idiots going to buy a vintage strat or Gisbon - pow, jack him and you're talking serious bank. On an hourly rate, its not worth my time to steal a Shecter. Sweet Christmas - criminals today.