‘Sorry, I been drunk’: Thief returns stolen mandolins to New Jersey guitar store with apology note
In a sobering decision, one drunk thief apparently changed his tune and returned two mandolins that he had previously stolen, according to the owner of a New Jersey vintage guitar store.
In a social media post Friday, Lark Street Music said that two previously stolen mandolins – a small, guitar-like instrument in the lute family – had been returned to the store, along with a handwritten note partly in all caps that read, "SORRY, I BEEN DRUNK, MERRY CHRISTMAS You are good man."
Buzzy Levine, who has owned the store since 1981, told ABC News that he was shocked when the instruments were returned.
"I couldn't believe it. I said, 'this is insane.' This is like, some kind of weird movie that has a happy ending or something," Levine said.
The store had previously posted surveillance video online depicting the alleged thief stuffing the instruments beneath his parka and leaving the store on Monday, Dec. 22, and asking for help in identifying the culprit.
"How to steal 2 mandolins at the same time! Be on the lookout for this criminal and the Gibson F-12 #A2985 and a Weber Yellowstone #9360302. This thief has a Montenegrin accent," the post read.
Levine told ABC News that the mandolins were valued at $3,500 and $4,250, respectively.
Levine said in his online post that he saw the alleged thief "surreptitiously" open the store's front door and return the mandolins in two shopping bags.
"An instant later, I wanted to see who did it, and so I went outside, and I saw the guy sort of trotting down the street. And I took chase, probably not the smartest thing to do, and he was he took off. He was running really fast and kept looking back to see if I was catching up or he was gaining ground, and then he took a turn – and then I lost them," Levine said, adding that he then called 911.
Christopher Kurschner, captain of investigations for the Teaneck Police Department, told ABC News that they're investigating the crime but haven't made arrests. Anyone with information can call the Teaneck Police Department at 201-837-2600.
