They’re playing a much happier tune after multiple guitars, including one signed by blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan and rock legend Jeff Beck, have been returned to their rightful owner after they were taken during a break-in at the Discount Electronics store in South Austin.
“Everybody in the store is excited, all our customers are excited,” said Ken Greene, general manager of Discount Electronics.
Thieves took a total of three guitars from the store including the SRV/Beck guitar. The blue Fender Stratocaster is described by Greene as “the keystone of our entire theme for the store.” A bass guitar signed by Los Lonely Boys and the Vallejo brothers was also among the three instruments stolen.
The thieves were able to steal the instruments and thousands of dollars worth of electronics during the heist. The store’s security system didn’t function properly either during the robbery. As the search began for the guitars, the store’s owner offered a $2,500 cash reward.
"We received an anonymous call to one of our stores on Sunday afternoon from a gentleman claiming to be in possession of all three of our guitars,” Greene said. “He had seen the coverage and decided it would be in his best interest to either destroy them or attempt to collect the reward money."
Greene said he convinced the man to take the reward money and three hours after the call, the two got together and the guitars were returned. The man who returned them said he bought the guitars and had nothing to do with the theft.
“When I saw it, I fell in love with it,” the man who returned the guitars said. “I didn’t think it belonged to anybody. I mean, it did, but I didn’t think somebody would really like, that dude cared for it.”
Greene said the Stratocaster was slightly damaged, but easily fixed. He also told KVUE that he’s installed a new security system with more than a dozen cameras and automatic notification of police if there is a break-in.
Greene said APD is following leads in the case. Anyone with information on the break-in is asked to call Austin police at 512-974-2000.
