In what feels like a small victory for rock and roll, Atlantic City police have tracked down one of Heart’s stolen instruments—Nancy Wilson’s beloved purple sparkle baritone Telecaster. The custom-built guitar, with its hand-painted headstock and distinctive shimmer, found its way back home after a brief but concerning detour through the criminal underworld.
The theft hit close to home for many musicians. Anyone who’s ever gripped a treasured instrument knows they’re more than just tools of the trade—they’re storytellers, confidants, and irreplaceable pieces of personal history. For Nancy Wilson, that purple Tele has been a faithful companion through countless performances, its unique voice woven into Heart’s sonic tapestry.
Things went sideways at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on May 30, casting a shadow over what should’ve been an exciting tour launch. But here’s where modern crime-fighting gets interesting: Atlantic City’s finest merged old-school detective work with some pretty slick tech. Surveillance footage and automated license plate readers? Yeah, they had it all covered.
The guitar’s journey took an unexpected turn through the hands of 57-year-old Garfield Bennett of Pleasantville, who sold it to an unsuspecting woman. She’d been keeping it in her car—of all places—just blocks from where it vanished. When approached by police, she didn’t hesitate to hand it over. Sometimes karma works in mysterious ways, doesn’t it?
But hold up—this story’s not quite finished. Paul Moak’s 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin is still MIA. We’re talking about a 25-year musical partnership here, the kind of instrument that’s shaped Heart’s signature sound since way back. Its absence leaves a hole in the band’s arsenal that no replacement can quite fill.
The outpouring of support? Absolutely wild. Nancy Wilson jumped on Instagram to thank everyone—fans, fellow musicians, media folks, and just genuinely good people who got why this mattered so much. Then again, when you’re talking about Heart—the band that gave us “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You,” and “Alone”—the love makes perfect sense.
From their ’70s debut to snagging that Recognition Academy lifetime achievement award in 2023, the Wilson sisters have carved out one hell of a legacy. Their gear, especially custom pieces like that purple Telecaster, hasn’t just made music—it’s made history.
As Heart continues their “An Evening With” tour, cops aren’t letting up on the mandolin hunt. They’ve made it crystal clear: buy that stolen Gibson, and you might find yourself explaining things down at the station. Because some things in the music world? They’re just sacred.