ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — This story was originally published on mynorthwest.com.
Heart, an iconic classic rock band that hails from Seattle, had their instruments stolen during a concert at the Hard Rock Casino in Atlantic City.
Heart, led by the Wilson sisters, has been creating music and touring together since the 1970s. But their most recent show ended in heartbreak when the band was left empty-handed. CCTV cameras captured a suspect carrying two stolen instruments—a hand-built, custom-made telecaster baritone guitar and a 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin—at approximately 2:20 a.m. last Friday.
Band member Paul Moak played the now-missing mandolin for more than 25 years. Nancy Wilson described the mandolin and guitar as “priceless” and “irreplaceable.”
Suspect arrested over theft
Garfield Bennett, 57, of Pleasantville, New Jersey, was arrested and charged by the Atlantic City Police Department with burglary and theft. However, by the time police found him, he had already sold one of the instruments and was unaware of the location of the other.
“This is not just stuff,” Wilson said. “The way these instruments sound. These sounds you could hardly get anywhere else. I was really heartbroken to hear somebody did that. These instruments are really irreplaceable.”
Heart produced several hits, including “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You,” and “Barracuda,” during their run from 1973 to 1998, followed by several reunions. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers were honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2023.
The band is offering a reward for information leading to their return.