A thief who stole two high-value mandolins from a New Jersey guitar shop ended up returning them days later, leaving behind a handwritten apology that admitted he had been drunk at the time.
The incident took place at Lark Street Music, a long-running vintage instrument store in Teaneck, New Jersey. The shop shared the unusual update on social media after discovering that two previously stolen mandolins had been quietly brought back inside the store.
According to owner Buzzy Levine, the instruments were taken on December 22 after surveillance footage showed a man concealing them under his parka before leaving the shop. The stolen mandolins were identified as a Gibson F-12 and a Weber Yellowstone, with a combined value of roughly $7,750.
A Christmas miracle! Mandolins returned
As reported by ABC News, Levine said he noticed the store’s front door open briefly and saw the instruments left behind in shopping bags several days after they were stolen. Alongside them was a handwritten note that read, “SORRY, I BEEN DRUNK, MERRY CHRISTMAS You are good man.”
Levine said he was stunned by the turn of events, saying the situation felt unreal and likening it to a movie with an unexpected happy ending. He added that he briefly chased after the person he believed returned the instruments, but lost sight of him and later contacted police.
The store had previously asked for the public’s help identifying the suspect, even noting that the individual appeared to have a Montenegrin accent in the surveillance footage.
Despite the return of the instruments, the case remains under investigation. Teaneck Police Department confirmed that no arrests have been made as of December 29, and authorities are still reviewing the incident. Anyone with information has been encouraged to contact police.
