As Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson prepared to embark on a new tour leg, the Grammy-nominated rockers made a “devastating” discovery. Two “irreplaceable” instruments belonging to the band’s members had been stolen from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. With the suspected thief behind bars, police have recovered one of those instruments, a custom-made guitar belonging to Nancy Wilson.
Atlantic City police announced Tuesday (June 10) that they had recovered a Fender Telecaster belonging to the band. Officers tracked down the guitar by following Garfield Bennett, the 57-year-old New Jersey man accused of stealing the instruments. They observed him “giving the guitar to a woman who put the guitar in a vehicle” along the 1300 block of Pacific Avenue.
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Using automated license readers, investigators tracked down the vehicle and pulled it over shortly afterwards, according to NBC10 Philadelphia.
Police say the woman voluntarily turned over the instrument, telling officers that she had bought the guitar from Bennett.
Mandolin Still Missing in Heart Instrument Theft
Authorities are still searching for a vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin owned by Heart multi-instrument Paul Moak. He has played the instrument for more than 25 years.
“These instruments are more than just tools of our trade—they’re extensions of our musical souls,” Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson wrote on social media following the theft. “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.”
Police say surveillance video footage identifies Bennett as the suspect in the theft, which happened at about 2 a.m. on May 30 inside the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena. Video from various parts of the city also shows Bennett walking around trying to sell the stolen instruments.
On June 4, officers found Bennett on south Kentucky Avenue in Atlantic City and took him into custody at the Atlantic County Justice Facility. He is facing charges of burglary and theft.
Bennett reportedly has a lengthy criminal record, which includes an April 2025 arrest in a prior burglary.
Heart’s Nancy Wilson Praises Atlantic City Police
Taking to social media June 5, Nancy Wilson thanked the police after they tracked down the person allegedly responsible for stealing Heart’s beloved instruments.
“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,” she wrote on Instagram.
Featured image by Rishi Deka/ZUMA Wire/Shutterstock
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