# Give It Back



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

A slightly different slant on a stolen guitar.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens...f-who-stole-kathleen-edwards-guitar-1.3207604

*An "As It Happens" open letter to the thief who stole Kathleen Edwards' guitar*













Kathleen Edwards wrote a Facebook post to the thief who stole her guitar. ((Photo: Chris Young/Canadian Press))



An open letter to the person who went into Kathleen Edwards' house in Stittsville, Ontario and stole her 1957 Les Paul Junior guitar.

To whom it may concern: Congratulations! You're an idiot. You've just stolen a famous, eminently recognizable guitar. You can't resell it, and you can't pawn it. As Ms. Edwards put it in a Facebook post about the theft, quote: "I can promise you that the instrument will not make you money, it will not go unnoticed and you will at some point be caught." Unquote. 








Kathleen Edwards with the guitar that was stolen. ((Facebook))


So just strictly from a thievery standpoint, nice work, Einstein. And from a musical standpoint, what's the plan, exactly? You've sat on your filthy futon-couch playing "Smoke on the Water" for a while. You tried the opening to "Stairway to Heaven" and it sounded like a four-year-old with an untuned ukulele. So now what are you going to do? Write a song better than the guitar's actual owner would write? Good luck with that, Hendrix. 

So at the moment, you've got a famous, distinctive guitar that you can't sell or play in public, which you stole from one of the best songwriters in Canada. Here's a brainwave, Einstein Hendrix: give it back. Ms. Edwards has said she'll take it if you do, no questions asked. "I can accept a foolish drunken teenage lapse of judgement," she wrote on Facebook, "a momentary hiccup in your moral being."

In conclusion, let's run through your best options. Number One: give it back. Number Two: See Number One.

Sincerely, _As It Happens._


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

hardly. while they may not be able to sell it at a pawn shop or music store, they can sell it none the less. there are shit tons of people who have no idea who she is, or what her guitar looks like.
sadly, there are tons of people who could care less. if she ever sees that guitar again it will be a fluke


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## djmarcelca (Aug 2, 2012)

I'm glad she vented. Having stuff stolen is very frustrating. 

I did not know who she was until this post. 
The guitar is just another LPJ to my eyes. 

Realisticly I do not think it'll be hard for the thief to sell it off.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I don't see her posting any serial numbers, so i guess she never recorded them, the thief may already have a buyer for it, or it will just be put away for many years..


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

cheezyridr said:


> hardly. while they may not be able to sell it at a pawn shop or music store, they can sell it none the less. there are shit tons of people who have no idea who she is, or what her guitar looks like.
> sadly, there are tons of people who could care less. if she ever sees that guitar again it will be a fluke


I'm not so optimistic for the thief. Many people have social media, and this will be on TV (For those who still watch), newspapers etc. It's not any Gibson, it's a '57 Junior. There aren't exactly a ton of those floating around, and the ones that are will be documented.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Rick31797 said:


> I don't see her posting any serial numbers, so i guess she never recorded them, the thief may already have a buyer for it, or it will just be put away for many years..


Yeah, I agree. I would just play it on my futon for about a decade. 

The insulting letter would make me burn it before I return it.


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## BMW-KTM (Apr 7, 2015)

Changed my mind
Never mind.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Rick31797 said:


> I don't see her posting any serial numbers, so i guess she never recorded them, the thief may already have a buyer for it, or it will just be put away for many years..


The door was left unlocked/open, some one just walked in, grabbed the first thing they saw that they could walk out with and sell fast and left. Go to any bar and the guitar is worth $50 Maybe $100. After that it might disappear or end up on Kijiji for $500 or so. Second hand LPJ's don't draw that much money unless you can prove the date and as we have seen with things from China that might be hard to do. The serial # is probably written down on an insurance form some where. Posting won't help much.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

well that sucks

hopefully she gets it back


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

cheezyridr said:


> hardly. _*while they may not be able to sell it at a pawn shop or music store, they can sell it none the less. there are tons of people who have no idea who she is, or what her guitar looks like.*_
> sadly, there are tons of people who could care less. if she ever sees that guitar again it will be a fluke


I agree. I had no idea who she was.



djmarcelca said:


> I'm glad she vented. Having stuff stolen is very frustrating.
> 
> I did not know who she was until this post.
> The guitar is just another LPJ to my eyes.
> ...


That is being realistic.


adcandour said:


> Yeah, I agree. I would just play it on my futon for about a decade.
> 
> _*The insulting letter would make me burn it before I return it*_.


I thought the same thing about the letter. It was stupidly written if the goal was to have it returned.


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## EchoWD40 (Mar 16, 2007)

Budda said:


> I'm not so optimistic for the thief. Many people have social media, and this will be on TV (For those who still watch), newspapers etc. It's not any Gibson, it's a '57 Junior. There aren't exactly a ton of those floating around, and the ones that are will be documented.


Nah, he will be able to sell it no problem. it isn't hard to find a buyer for a stolen instrument, especially at a good price.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

TDeneka said:


> Nah, he will be able to sell it no problem. it isn't hard to find a buyer for a stolen instrument, especially at a good price.



That's the problem.

Unfortunately there are far too many of us willing to turn a blind eye and support the thief.

As long as people are willing to screw others over by buying stolen property things will continue to be stolen.

If she gets the guitar back it will be a fluke.

Sad but probably true.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

It looks like the value of the guitar is around 6,000 USD, not a huge amount for the year, but as we know ,guitars have more of a sentimental value, and it doesn't matter who she is , it hurts just as much , if your just a bedroom player or an Artist.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

1. She didn't write the letter, it was written by someone at the CBC.

2. I think it's aimed at a thief who knows nothing about guitars or how to sell them. Sure most of us here could find a place to unload a hot vintage LP but most B&Es are done by guys who want to unload the goods fast with no hiccups. It's easy to sell a laptop or a TV to some dude on the street but if you know nothing about guitars what's your first stop going to be? Craigslist? A Pawn Shop?

This is who the open letter not written by Kathleen Edwards is directed to.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

unless your out and around the music scene , there are many artists unheard of, i had no idea who she was, and i am not that far from Ottawa, it took a stolen guitar to get her better known..




hardasmum said:


> 1. She didn't write the letter, it was written by someone at the CBC.
> 
> 2. I think it's aimed at a thief who knows nothing about guitars or how to sell them. Sure most of us here could find a place to unload a hot vintage LP but most B&Es are done by guys who want to unload the goods fast with no hiccups. It's easy to sell a laptop or a TV to some dude on the street but if you know nothing about guitars what's your first stop going to be? Craigslist? A Pawn Shop?
> 
> ...


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## Rollin Hand (Jul 12, 2012)

She is pretty high profile.....

[video=youtube;4PdAfJlyCN0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PdAfJlyCN0[/video]

[video=youtube;X11pSQ2Nr54]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X11pSQ2Nr54[/video]


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

i'm betting the thief has no idea of the vintage, until he saw the letter. he probably would take it straight to the dope-man, and trade it for a few rocks. the dope-man isn't going to care where it came from or the vintage.


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2015)

I'm sure the crackhead will find a buyer.

A friend of mine picked up a '76 Lp for a 1/4 oz of weed a decade back.
It was bartered through a friend of his who said that's all the guy wanted. 
Even knowing the value of what he traded. It belonged to the dopehead's 
brother who he hated. He figured someone was going to get it, so why not.


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## ampjunkie (Jul 30, 2009)

You want to see a robbery? I looked at a '59 reissue LP recently at a music store (won't mention which one) in the GTA. It was labeled:
S LP 59 RI VOS Washed Cherry w/Case. Price? $7849.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

hardasmum said:


> 1. She didn't write the letter, it was written by someone at the CBC.
> 
> .


I realized that as soon as it started to seem like bragging. As a thief would doesn't really give a shit, I'd still rather burn it than return it after reading that. I think it was a bad idea.


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## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

This is what she (Kathleen Edwards) wrote on Facebook;

"This one hurts. Bad. 
My 1957 Les Paul junior was stolen from my home in Stittsville, Ontario. I can only guess that someone came in through the back door when it was unlocked, picked it up, without a case, and walked out. 

I am hoping that this post will circulate in the Ottawa area and come across the person responsible, or someone who has noticed a friend or relative with a new instrument kicking around: 
Be very VERY sure, a 1957 les Paul doesn't just get resold online, in a pawn shop, at a guitar store without gaining attention. You won't be able to play it in front of people. It will draw attention, someone will notice. People who buy and sell valuable instruments know exactly what they are, and when they are stolen. 
You will be caught if you try and sell it. I have tons of images of it, and documented serial number. So you have no chance to sell it and make money. And worse, you will be charged for a significant theft, and linked to a break and enter. 
If the guitar is returned, I can accept a "no questions asked" agreement. Whether that means the guitar is returned to my business, Quitters coffee, to my home, or through a mutual acquaintance. I can accept a foolish drunken teenage lapse of judgement, a momentary hiccup in your moral being. 

I can promise you that the instrument will not make you money, it will not go unnoticed and you will at some point be caught. 

Do the right thing. 

And thanks for keeping your ear to the ground."

And for what it's worth I'll bet most here have no clue who she is... it's not a crime not to know what happens on the corpse, aka the cbc.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

As I have mentioned in the other thread. There has been a bunch of stolen guitars here in Ottawa that have been returned to their owners. I know of at least 3 guys who posted it online and eventually got back their guitars. I won't be surprised if she gets back her guitar. If the guitar stays in Ottawa, it'll show up one of these days. Its not easy to sell stolen guitars nowadays, you can't sell it online as it will attract attention, not easy either to sell it to music stores or pawnshops. Now if the guitar is brought some place else, like Toronto or Montreal, it would be a lot harder to find. One of these days, it will end up with a guitar player. And unless he's a douchebag, I'm sure that person will make it right.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

Jimmy_D said:


> And for what it's worth I'll bet most here have no clue who she is... it's not a crime not to know what happens on the corpse, aka the cbc.


The only radio station I listen to is 680 News


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Chito said:


> As I have mentioned in the other thread. There has been a bunch of stolen guitars here in Ottawa that have been returned to their owners. I know of at least 3 guys who posted it online and eventually got back their guitars. I won't be surprised if she gets back her guitar. If the guitar stays in Ottawa, it'll show up one of these days. Its not easy to sell stolen guitars nowadays, you can't sell it online as it will attract attention, not easy either to sell it to music stores or pawnshops. Now if the guitar is brought some place else, like Toronto or Montreal, it would be a lot harder to find. One of these days, it will end up with a guitar player. And unless he's a douchebag, I'm sure that person will make it right.


I hope you're right, but with so many guitars going missing, obviously some of those are being knowingly bought as stolen, by


guitarists


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Milkman said:


> I hope you're right, but with so many guitars going missing, obviously some of those are being knowingly bought as stolen, by
> 
> 
> guitarists


Buying hot is just as bad as stealing it yourself IMO.

Amazing what a paycheque buys legitimately


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

But it's a fool's errand appealing to the integrity of someone who doesn't have any. They act like they have that as an advantage over the rest of us. Believe me, I know, I see it every day at work.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Scotty said:


> Buying hot is just as bad as stealing it yourself IMO.
> 
> Amazing what a paycheque buys legitimately


I've been saying this for years.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Milkman said:


> I've been saying this for years.


And you are correct. It's similar to the guy driving the getaway car in a robbery. He is just as guilty because he is in agreement with the stolen property and all that is required to obtain it.


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## Norman231 (May 5, 2014)

High/Deaf said:


> But it's a fool's errand appealing to the integrity of someone who doesn't have any. They act like they have that as an advantage over the rest of us. Believe me, I know, I see it every day at work.


Precisely.

So... vintage cars that are worth hundreds of thousand$ can be stolen for profit, but this guitar can't?
I sympathize with her loss, but I think her approach is faulty.
Some people offer no-questions-asked rewards. Admittedly, I'm not sure that rewards are any more effective.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

Norman231 said:


> Precisely. So... vintage cars that are worth hundreds of thousand$ can be stolen for profit, but this guitar can't? I sympathize with her loss, but I think her approach is faulty. Some people offer no-questions-asked rewards. Admittedly, I'm not sure that rewards are any more effective.


As mentioned earlier she didn't write this letter AND she is offering a "no-questions-asked-reward".


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## Norman231 (May 5, 2014)

hardasmum said:


> As mentioned earlier she didn't write this letter AND she is offering a "no-questions-asked-reward".


Maybe I missed it... but the facebook posting Jimmy_D included suggests she believes there is no possibility of it being sold, and therefore the thief should return it, no questions asked. I don't see any mention of a reward tho...


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

Norman231 said:


> Maybe I missed it... but the facebook posting Jimmy_D included suggests she believes there is no possibility of it being sold, and therefore the thief should return it, no questions asked. I don't see any mention of a reward tho...


I interpreted the reward as avoiding prosecution.

I don't think it's far-fetched that the thief would have trouble unloading it. There's all sorts of stories these days of stolen items turning up at pawnshops and used guitar stores. An aqua intent of mine had his bass rig and pedalboard stolen from his car. A few months later he got a call from someone at Paul's Boutique saying someone was trying to sell it to them. The story had circulated social media and he ended up getting his bass back but not his amp or pedals. Still his bass was somewhat unique and special to him so it was a happy ending.

I think her point is a valid one, while her LP Junior isn't exactly unique it's not a LP Studio. People take notice when a 57 Les Paul Junior enters the room. It's not impossible to sell but it makes things more difficult for the thief.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

hardasmum said:


> I interpreted the reward as avoiding prosecution.
> 
> I don't think it's far-fetched that the thief would have trouble unloading it. There's all sorts of stories these days of stolen items turning up at pawnshops and used guitar stores. An aqua intent of mine had his bass rig and pedalboard stolen from his car. A few months later he got a call from someone at Paul's Boutique saying someone was trying to sell it to them. The story had circulated social media and he ended up getting his bass back but not his amp or pedals. Still his bass was somewhat unique and special to him so it was a happy ending.
> 
> I think her point is a valid one, while her LP Junior isn't exactly unique it's not a LP Studio. People take notice when a 57 Les Paul Junior enters the room. It's not impossible to sell but it makes things more difficult for the thief.


Maybe, maybe not. If the thief has no real clue that it's a 57 and how valuable those are, he (or she) might sell it for a bag of weed.

It may turn up at some point after it has been sold two or three times, but no problem to sell it.

I wish that wasn't the case, but people buy stolen stuff all the time. It's almost like they just feel they're just getting a deal.

The "if I don't buy it, somebody else will" excuse makes me want to puke.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

If people want to help find it, let's see some WTB Gibson Les Paul Jr '57 ads.


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## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

Budda said:


> If people want to help find it, let's see some WTB Gibson Les Paul Jr '57 ads.


http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/north...ed/1099642230?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

Jimmy_D said:


> http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/north...ed/1099642230?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true



Almost makes me want to post a similar ad....but I'm in Edmonton. I'd also add top dollar will be paid for this guitar or something of the sort.

I sure do hope she gets the guitar back...but the idiot that stole it is probably just worried about his or her next fix.

I'm one of the lucky ones that it hasn't happened to......Yet.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Budda said:


> If people want to help find it, let's see some WTB Gibson Les Paul Jr '57 ads.


There's a damned good chance that won't work until the guitar has been bought and sold a few times. Your average thief wants to move it fast. Probably doesn't know or care what he's got other than it's a guitar and it says Gibson on it. Could be who ever took it was passing thru and decided to knock on a few doors and check things out. By now the guitar could be in Vancouver, Fredricton or even New Orleans. If she's lucky who ever grabbed it is some kid from the area and has now been crapping their pants for the last few days.....if they give a damn. If they get caught with the guitar is no biggy. "We found it in an alley officer and we were going to turn it in."


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

Unless I missed it, she hasn't listed the serial number anywhere? There are lots of 57 Juniors out there, all pretty well identical. How is someone supposed to know it might be hers?


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

dwagar said:


> Unless I missed it, she hasn't listed the serial number anywhere? There are lots of 57 Juniors out there, all pretty well identical. How is someone supposed to know it might be hers?


Very good point. Maybe that was a fib about her having listed the serial number.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

dwagar said:


> Unless I missed it, she hasn't listed the serial number anywhere? There are lots of 57 Juniors out there, all pretty well identical. How is someone supposed to know it might be hers?


Doesn't have to list it. Just says that it's documented which means she's given it to the insurance company at some time, the cops, probably passed it around to various music stores, used word of mouth to get the number out to more music stores and possibly it's on a "stolen item" list given to pawnshops sometime after the item is stolen. The further away from where the guitar was stolen you go the less likely the list gets checked. I suppose if you run into an old Junior you can check the serial number with your local police force or contact her directly. I figure by now an unrestored '57 anything will probably have acquired some rather distinctive marks etc.


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## Hammertone (Feb 3, 2006)

Budda said:


> ...There aren't exactly a ton of those floating around, and the ones that are will be documented….


Well….facts are useful:
The Les Paul Junior was introduced in '54 as a single cutaway guitar, and was changed to a double cutaway guitar in early '58. Here are production numbers for sunburst single-cutaway Les Paul Juniors:
1954 - 823
1955 - 2,839
1956 - 3,129
1957 - 2,959
So 9,750 of these guitars were made that sort of look like each other. Gibson made more of these than of any other model during these years. If some were made in early '58, that means @10,000 were made by Gibson. Many of them have been destroyed or hopelessly bodgered (they were cheap guitars that no one cared about for many years), but the numbers suggest that there is no shortage of single-cutaway sunburst Les Paul Juniors.

As well, Gibson has reissued the model in various guises for many years (LP Junior, Historic Reissue LP Junior, Billie Joe Armstrong, and more). There are probably thousands of these in the marketplace, of which many probably have sunburst finishes.


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

I wonder how different this thread would be if it was David Gilmor who lost a guitar?


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

Happy Gilmore

David Gilmour


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Cups said:


> I wonder how different this thread would be if it was David Gilmor who lost a guitar?


Alternatively, what it it was a member from this forum


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## djmarcelca (Aug 2, 2012)

Cups said:


> I wonder how different this thread would be if it was David Gilmor who lost a guitar?



If he posted a open letter similar to the Lady whose guitar was stolen?
Probably quite similar


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

hardasmum, you can start pulling your hair out now :sSc_eeksign:


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## toby2 (Dec 2, 2006)

About 12 years ago a guy came into a used music store with a bunch of gear to sell . He did not know what it was be we did . The stuff was stolen from a van from a guy we knew . Called the police and stalled the guy . Half an hour later , no police . Had to go out into the street and flag a car down . Cops came in and the thief tried to make a run for it . They grabbed him and called for help . Pepper sprayed everyone by the the front counter . There were tons of cops there at that point . They handcuffed the thief to an Exclaim newspaper stand and then threw him into the back of a car . Months later , got a notice from the police asking if we wanted the Exclaim stand back .


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

Decided to re think my response


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Well after 10 months, she got her guitar back.

Ottawa singer gets priceless guitar back 10 months after theft


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

How come i never find a guitar in a garbage bag.LOL. Nice to see it back to the rightful owner.


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

Magic! Great news!


Sent from my Other Brain


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Glad she got them back but something don't smell right. They lived in a garbage bag outside for ten months and there is no damage? Lots of questions on this one. Were they recently planted. Does the dog walker know more about things ?


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

nkjanssen said:


> The weird thing to me is why someone would have removed the bridge.


Getting ready for repaint?



Sent from my Other Brain


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## toby2 (Dec 2, 2006)

LOST & FOUND: How Kathleen Edwards got her guitar back | StittsvilleCentral.ca


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## Slooky (Feb 3, 2015)

It seems like a good marketing ploy, I had no idea who she was, who leaves the house and keeps the door unlocked? First article says 1 guitar, second article says 2 guitars? 2 Gibson guitars left on a park bench for 24 hours? really? maybe I misread the articles but something sounds fishy


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

Slooky said:


> It seems like a good marketing ploy, I had no idea who she was,


You never watch CBC Kids? 






Slooky said:


> who leaves the house and keeps the door unlocked?


 Well, this is Canada, (Maybe I wouldn't leave the door unlocked in Stitsville)


Slooky said:


> First article says 1 guitar, second article says 2 guitars? 2 Gibson guitars left on a park bench for 24 hours? really? maybe I misread the articles but something sounds fishy


As for the reporting, that, I have no idea. I never fully believe the reports. (Insert tin-foil hat here)



Sent from my other other brain.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

There are plenty of places in Canada where you can leave your house and car unlocked without fear of theft. Moving back to Ottawa from small-town New Brunswick took me a while to re-establish the habit of locking things.

Even locking things up is no guarantee of anything. My 59 Epi Windsor got stolen from out apartment locker, which required a key to get into the individually-locked lockers in the first place. The thin gig bag made it look like it might be a rifle from the side, when looking through the chicken-wire walls of the locker. 

There's really no accounting for the taste of petty thieves. They're not the brightest lot in the world. One attempted to steal my 1981 K-car (that wouldn't pass vehicle inspection) by ripping the steering column apart...while it was parked beside a much more recent unlocked Cadillac.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

mhammer said:


> They're not the brightest lot in the world.


Similar to the fellow that tried to rob a gun store while wielding a knife


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

This didn't work with me, I still refuse to watch CBC Kids


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

amagras said:


> This didn't work with me, I still refuse to watch CBC Kids


Why? Just not you cuppa-tea?
I grew up with the ABC kids, was my first TV spot on the "Afternoon Show" with my band (1988/08/11)


Sent from my Other Brain


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

bzrkrage said:


> Why? Just not you cuppa-tea?
> I grew up with the ABC kids, was my first TV spot on the "Afternoon Show" with my band (1986/08/11)
> 
> 
> Sent from my Other Brain


That gotta be on YouTube


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