Tipsy thief allegedly steals 2 mandolins from NJ music store, returns them with note saying ‘I been drunk’
Two mandolins returned by a thief with a note that says “Sorry I been drunk.” Facebook/Lark Street Music
A tipsy thief who swiped two mandolins from a New Jersey music store made an unusual comeback: he returned the instruments days later with a booze-fueled apology, according to the store.
The alleged thief dropped off the stolen guitars at Lark Street Music in Teaneck on Friday afternoon — four days after stuffing them into his coat during a brazen daytime theft — along with a handwritten note that read, “Sorry, I been drunk, Merry Christmas.” The note, scribbled on graph paper, also complimented the store owner: “You are a good man.”
The store had posted surveillance footage online showing the man casually grabbing a Gibson F-12 and a Webber Yellowstone from the wall and slipping them inside his jacket before strolling out of the shop Monday afternoon. The post quickly went viral, and the owner said the online attention may have prompted the suspect to return the instruments.
“Recovered! Thank you all for spreading the clip of the theft of the 2 mandolins,” the store wrote on Facebook alongside photos of the note and the instruments. “An hour ago, the thief quietly opened the front door and returned them in two shopping bags. I ran to the door and saw him running down the street, so I chased after him. Not so smart — I lost him, called 911, and they are in pursuit. I feel like I’m in a TV movie.”
It’s not clear whether the suspect has been arrested. The Teaneck Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the store owner could not be reached for further comment.
About Post Author
