Nancy Wilson in December 2024.
The Associated Press confirmed on June 10 that the Atlantic City police have successfully retrieved Wilson’s treasured baritone Telecaster. This rare instrument had vanished on May 31 from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino as the band geared up for their An Evening with Heart tour.
The Atlantic City police recovered the guitar from a woman who unknowingly bought it from the alleged thief. Unfortunately, a 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin, equally significant to the band, has yet to be found. A suspect, Garfield Bennett, 57, from Pleasantville, N.J., has been charged with burglary and theft. Surveillance footage allegedly shows Bennett attempting to sell the stolen gear around the city. However, his plea status or attorney information remains unclear.
Wilson expressed profound gratitude to the police, stating, “It means so much to have it back in my hands. Their dedication and quick action are deeply appreciated.” Her focus now shifts to retrieving fellow band member Paul Moak’s mandolin. “We’re still hoping for the safe return of Paul Moak’s vintage mandolin, which remains missing,” Wilson declared. “This instrument holds tremendous sentimental and musical value. A reward is still being offered no questions asked for its return. We just want to see it come home where it belongs.”
Heart’s announcement on June 3 revealed how two vital instruments were stolen shortly before their New Jersey performance. “These instruments are more than just tools of our trade they’re extensions of our musical souls,” Wilson shared. Both the “custom-built, purple sparkle baritone Telecaster guitar with a hand-painted headstock” and the “vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin” represent more than just musical equipment to Wilson and Moak, respectively.
The significance of such personal instruments to musicians can’t be overstated. “The baritone Tele was made uniquely for me and Paul’s mandolin has been with him for decades,” Wilson noted. The rock band has fervently requested their return, offering a reward to anyone with information leading to their recovery.
Heart continues their An Evening with Heart tour across North America, enchanting audiences until June 28. Meanwhile, fans and the public are encouraged to assist in retrieving the missing mandolin, ensuring that this chapter of loss in Heart’s story finds a harmonious resolution.
