57-year-old Garfield Bennett charged with burglary and theft for stealing guitar and mandolin from the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel
A New Jersey man has been charged with burglary and theft after stealing “irreplaceable” instruments from the band Heart..
According to NBC 10 Philadelphia, the Atlantic City Police Department obtained surveillance footage of the 57-year-old Garfield Bennett from Pleasantville, NJ, trying to sell various items he had stolen from the band on the eve of their Royal Flush summer tour on May 31.
The instruments were stolen from the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel shortly after being loaded into the facility. Bennett was arrested in Atlantic City and is currently incarcerated at the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Investigators believe Bennett sold one of the instruments, and are urging whoever purchased it to surrender without penalty or be arrested for receiving stolen property; it’s unclear which of the instruments was sold, and what is the status of the other stolen instrument.
“If you’ve got the guitars, bring them back. Turn them in. No questions asked,” Atlantic City Director of Public Safety Sean Riggin said. “If we continue looking and we have to find them, there are absolutely going to be serious criminal charges.”
Heart member Nancy Wilson posted a statement on her Instagram account Wednesday pleading for the items to be returned. Bennett is accused of stealing what Nancy Wilson described as a “custom-built, one-of-a-kind purple sparkle baritone Telecaster with a hand-painted headstock, crafted specifically for [her]” as well as a vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin that band member Paul Moak has used for almost three decades.
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“These instruments are more than just tools of our trade — they’re extensions of our musical souls,” Nancy Wilson said in her statement. “The baritone Tele was made uniquely for me, and Paul’s mandolin has been with him for decades. We’re heartbroken, and we’re asking for their safe return—no questions asked. Their value to us is immeasurable.” She added, “We are deeply grateful to the Atlantic City Police Department, the Hard Rock organization, and everyone who came together to support us in the search for our stolen instruments. The outpouring of love and concern has been overwhelming, and we are truly touched by the strength and compassion of this community.”
Heart continue their tour with Todd Rungren with a concert in Vienna, Virginia.
