Point Reyes Light - November 18, 2004
Woodacre man loses 25 guitars from collection
By Jim Kravets
A San Geronimo Valley resident is reeling after the theft of his valuable guitar collection from an East Marin self-storage unit.
Bill Marriott of Woodacre estimates at least 25 classic instruments are missing from his locker following a break-in on Oct. 25 or Oct. 26 at Community Mini Storage Systems in Greenbrae.
Most of the guitars are Hagstroms, a lesser-known Swedish make, but also stolen were a 1972 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, an Aria D'Aquisto Centura acoustic guitar, and a few from Swedish guitar manufacturer, Levin. Marriott, an amateur guitarist, has been collecting the instruments for about five years. He estimates the entire collection’s value at $30,000.
Following the theft, Marriott quickly checked local music stores and pawn shops and discovered three of his guitars for sale at E Guitars in San Rafael. The shop paid $350 for the instruments. Marriott estimates their worth closer to $2,000.
Astonishingly, the man who pawned the guitars used his real identification, and police detectives soon had suspect Jared Gadoury, 24, of Mill Valley, in custody. Marin County Assistant District Attorney Ed Berberian told The Light that Gadoury is being held under suspicion of grand theft, two counts of commercial burglary, as well as receiving and being in possession of stolen property. Gadoury is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Monday, Nov. 22.
So far, the rest of the guitar collection has not been recovered. Detective Patrick Eddinger, who is leading the investigation for the Twin Cities Police Department, told The Light that four other storage lockers at the same facility were broken into. Items stolen include firearms. But, Eddinger said, "Gadoury denies knowing anything about the firearms."
A prosecutor is scheduled to discuss a plea arrangement with deputy public defender George Shea who is acting as Gadoury’s attorney.
"You know," Marriott said, "it would be really good for this guy if he’d cough up some info."
Suspects ‘druggy-sleazy’ accomplice
Additional suspects are being considered in the investigation but detectives have released no further information.
"I don’t think [Gadoury] is the main player," Marriott said, adding that he suspects that, "there’s another person involved, a lowlife-druggy-sleazy person in a mobile home who has since left town while police were investigating him." Detectives Eddinger declined to comment on Gadoury’s involvement in the actual theft.
Detective Eddinger is hopeful yet cautious about the chances that police will recover his guitars. Pawn shops are required to notify police when they buy used goods. Eddinger said that a guitar stolen last month from a Mill Valley residence was recovered when a San Francisco shop where it turned up notified San Francisco police who then notified the Mill Valley Police. "But," the detective added, "sometimes things are hard to find."
Marriott said the guitars were insured but only to a degree, noting he can expect the insurance company to payout about half the worth of the stolen collection. Marriott said he takes the blame for the inadequate coverage. "Hindsight is wonderful," he lamented. Marriott also admonishes himself for keeping the guitars at a storage facility at all. "I thought they’d be more secure there, but after talking to people I now know there’s no such thing as a secure storage area. Everyone says I should have known better."
Reward offered for stolen guitars
Marriott and his wife, Tracy, have embarked on a crusade to recover the remaining guitars. He is distributing serial numbers and descriptions of the guitars to an ever-increasing radius of music stores.
"I have a whole list of guitar stores reaching down to San Jose. Not everyone is going to buy a Hagstrom. They stand out in a crowd," he said. A website, <www.stolenhagstroms.com>, authored by Merriott has also been posted, and he is offering a reward.
The loss is taking a toll on him emotionally, Marriott said. "I’m really stressed out, and my wife and I are increasingly short with each other. It’s more than I can deal with." Marriott is part owner and manager of a manufacturing business in San Anselmo. "I have a house, a four-year-old and an eight-year-old child. I don’t have time for this emotional drain."
"My eight year old, it hurt him a lot," Marriott said. "I haven’t told him the depth of the robbery. He would be so sad. He really likes the collection. He feels like he’s a part of it."
Marriott said he bought his first Hagstrom guitar about five years ago. "I’ve always been into Swedish stuff," he said. "I have like five Volvos, unfortunately."
When his father passed away a few years ago, Marriott first used the inheritance to begin a college fund for his kids and pay some bills. The remaining money went towards the guitar collection.
"Suddenly the guitars were everywhere," he quipped. "I went overboard. Too many guitars."
Those with information about the missing guitars can call the Twin Cities Police Department at 927-5150.