Stolen Accoustic Guitars

[tsorby2023]

Hi,

 I was just a kid back in 1978 or 1979 when my dad came home from a gig. He left his equipment in the truck, the next morning we found that someone had broken into the truck. Took his 1950's J200 blonde Accoustic also his 1972 Small body Accoustic and his fender amp. The amp was very heavy on one side and had metal corners. We found where the stuff went due to the drag marks on the ground from the amp.

A couple years later we discovered that the stuff ended up in either Eveleth, M
N or Ely, Mn at the police impound. Could'nt get them back without the serial numbers. The only thing i remember about the guitars is the 1950's J200 was inbetween Kitty Wells and Jim Reeves in production.

I would love to see if i can get them back......as my dad has passed in 1984.

I know it's an impossible task, but i would like to see where it takes me, as I am up in age now as well.

Thanks to All that can give this man a glimpse of hope.. 

[slimt]

Without serial numbers it will be tough. 
 
you have any receipts from repairs  or the orig purchase?   Wish you luck on your quest. 

[Murph]

16 hours ago, tsorby2023 said:

A couple years later we discovered that the stuff ended up in either Eveleth, M
N or Ely, Mn at the police impound. Could'nt get them back without the serial numbers. 

If he didn't have the serial #'s or any receipts in the 70's to prove they were his, it'll be difficult. 

I would make a road trip to those towns and go, in person, to those police stations and start digging. Most people working in the late 70's (like me) will be retired, but they might still be around. They wrote those serial #'s down on paper in those days, computers were just in their infancy, and perhaps there are still paper files somewhere in a warehouse.

If they weren't claimed after "so many days" or months, whatever, what happened to them? Were they sold? To whom?

Maybe a cop who worked there, or someone in their family, played guitar and ended up with them.

Getting people to remember the 70's is tougher than any other time in history....

[sparquelito]

How far is it for you to travel to those two towns in Minnesota, or to the impound facility in St Louis County?

Go there.
Make friends with the top officials there.
Tell them your story.
Bring any photos you may have of your father performing.
(Preferably with either of those guitars, and with the amp in the background.)

If you are sincere, humble, and polite, chances are they will give you the gear just to get it off their books.

If they haven't already sold everything off, which is a distinct possibility.

🙁

 

[fortyearspickn]

If you have a police report documenting the theft,  did that have serial numbers ?   Even if it didn't - you can try, with family photos like Sparque suggested.  One with you Dad with the guitars and amps and another with him and you.    And/Or ...  how did you determine that  'the stuff wound up in a police compound in Ely, Mn a couple of years later?  Maybe 40 years later, under 'The New Normal' they'll relax their 'serial number' rule.   But, as has been mentioned - by now, the stuff is probably gone.  They would have had to make space for new stolen stuff.  

[Murph]

A late 60's, early 70's Fender tube amp is worth 10 times what it cost new.

The J200, would depend on condition and how it survived the brutal Minnesota winters in impound. 

I'm betting it disappeared quickly.

[Dave F]

I had a 1955 Fender Super Tweed and a Guild Thunderbird Tube amp stolen back in '71. I still miss them.