Four mandolins stolen today from The Mandolin Store

[Simon DS]

Oh, my goodness, guys check this out!

<Removed by Moderator. This is something you're welcome to take anyplace else on the Internet to discuss. It doesn't belong here.>

[FLATROCK HILL]

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[Mandolin Cafe]

Adding serial numbers for the benefit of search engines:

Northfield Wide Nut Mandolin Serial Number S2201018
Northfield Left Handed Mandolin Serial Number S220991

No serial for the Kentucky, the Eastman serial number to be added later when available.

[Mandolin Cafe]

Better news story just released this evening from Local News 12. Includes video.

Thousands worth of instruments stolen from music store days before opening in Tri-State

[Chris Calley]

Kinda weird he didn't take any guitars. Seems to me they would be much easier to fence, but maybe didn't want to deal with physically larger items. I also wonder if he looked at any price tags before he decided what to take.

[journeybear]

If you look closely at the footage - admittedly, grainy and kinda low-res - you'll see hardly any price tags. I finally saw one in the new story, right up front on the right. If there were price tags on the instruments, they would likely have helped guide him to the good stuff - which he missed. I think of this as being a fortunate happenstance, a result of the store still being prepped for opening.

[Heykoolaid3]

Watching the perp look at each mandolin, it appears as though he was looking for specific instruments. Left-handed instruments aren't as common.

[nick delmore]

I found that puzzling, too. Maybe the mandolins were just what was in the window display that he could grab easily. Also, you can carry four mandolins at once, might be harder with guitars.

So, not a smash & grab. Makes it even weirder, in terms of what the guy took. He really seemed to have no clue.

[Mandobar]

He was careful to put his hood up, wore gloves, but his dreadlocks are showing. So, I think someone will recognize him eventually. The video is getting some play and the way he hopped around the store trying to decide what to take makes him look disorganized. No duffel bag, he just carried the instruments out.

[Bernie Daniel]

Likely will head to Steubenville or Columbus to pawn them, as they are the nearest fairly large cities. Hopefully they will get them back undamaged!

Cincinnati and Dayton are a lot closer than Columbus! But in the end you are probably right there is a nice state prison in Steubenville! LOL.

[DougC]

It seems that the choice of stolen instruments reflect well known, 'middle of the road' price range. Brands that are common and supposedly, easy to fence. This guy made some choices that reflect his knowledge of mandolins. (He has probably been here at the classifieds too.) I smell a rat and I hope the police do too. We can help folks. Head's up.

[Jeff Mando]

Not one, but two lefty mandolins....think about it.

[FLATROCK HILL]

Sinister...

[keith.rogers]

Sinister...

I saw what you did there… 😏

[Eric F.]

Sinister...

Gauche, even.

[Tom Morse]

Sinister...

The law of sinistrality...

[Murphy Slaw]

I hate a thief.

It's like they are stealing my work, my art, my loves.

But it's always been this way.

[The Mandolin Store]

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update and thank everyone in this community, especially Scott, for sharing this far and wide. The police have a suspect and he also left full size footprints in the mud outside the store before tracking it in. Fingers are crossed that justice will be served! -Zach

[Marcus CA]

Those could end up being the tracks of his tears.

[journeybear]

That is great, great news! I am somewhat relieved, learning that they're making progress, though it ain't over till it's over. Hopefully with a happy resolution.

I have a theory, but first ...

This guy made some choices that reflect his knowledge of mandolins.

... I don't believe that they knew what they were doing. There was too much hesitation, and they had no idea what to take. They left the $20k mandolin behind.

I'm with Mandobar here. If he'd done a good job of casing the place, and done his homework, he could have made a bigger score. Yes, mid-range mandolins might be easier to fence, but leaving behind big ticket items ... I dunno.

He really seemed to have no clue.

Pretty much my opinion, too. In fact, I can't help thinking he might be a banjo picker, with some of the not-so-bright decisions he made.

[Jeff Mando]

FWIW, years ago I had a break-in and they took two guitars, an expensive tape recorder, and a new microwave oven.....I got the microwave back. The police never caught anyone.

[jesserules]

Yeah, but who fences mandolins? Pawn shop isn't going to give the time of day to some stranger walks in with four obviously brand new mandolins. Probably have somebody at the front desk pretend to haggle while another guy calls the cops.

Steal diamonds and there's people in the business of buying them from you, for a lot less than market. Steal a car & a chop shop will be pleased to do business with you. All those kind of guys aren't interested in just buying stuff from thieves. They know of an established market for the stolen goods they've bought. What's the market for a stolen mandolin?

[mrmando]

Steal a car & a chop shop will be pleased to do business with you.

I went to a mandolin chop shop once; it wasn't at all what I expected.

[DaveGinNJ]

I went to a mandolin chop shop once; it wasn't at all what I expected.

Well played

[journeybear]

It's been a while since we've seen anything about this case. Last we heard, it sounded like an arrest was imminent. But nothing afterward, so I've been wondering.

I'm on their email list, and this came through today, so I thought I'd share.

Hello Folks,

As most of you are aware we ended 2022 with a bang with a break in christening our new location. Unfortunately no new news to report on that front but there[are] all sorts of awesome things happening at The Mandolin Store and around the mandolin community.

Disappointing there hasn't been any progress. Sending out more heartfelt well wishes for a swift and positive resolution.