Guitars, Computers Stolen From Evanston Home
UPDATED 01/26/11 7:33 a.m.
EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) -- An Evanston man has suffered a deeply personal loss, after learning that burglars had broken into his home and made off with three pricey guitars.
As CBS 2's Vince Gerasole shows us, the home of musician Marshall Dawson, in the 1500 block of Ashland Avenue, was broken into Monday afternoon. Three guitars worth over $6,000 were stolen.
"It just feels as though I'm missing a friend," musician Marshall Dawson.
The burglary happened sometime between 3:15 p.m. and 5:15 p.m., according to Evanston Police Cmdr. Tom Guenther. Evanston police went to the home about 7:15 p.m. Monday in response to the burglary call, Guenther said.
The burglar or burglars took two Fender Stratocaster guitars – one white and one red – as well as a burgundy Gibson Les Paul guitar, two Apple computers and one Lenovo computer.
"I didn't sleep last night," Dawson said. "I kept waking up saying, 'Oh, my guitar is gone.'"
Dawson teaches music at Guitar Works in Evanston, but he also makes a living with the instruments -- playing surf music in the band Ambassadors to Earth.
Among his favorite songs is "Miserlou" by Dick Dale.
"You know the song that's sort of the marquee song for Pulp Fiction?" Dawson said. "Surf music is all the cool sounds you can make with an electric guitar."
The Stratocaster is the guitar Buddy Holly and Jimi Hendrix played. Now Dawson is missing two,.
Though they have no suspects, police are hopeful that the burglars will be caught.
"I know a lot of times these types of instruments go on eBay, or to pawn stores," Guenther said. "Usually if the deal is too good to be true, it is, and there's some story behind it."
A homeowner pointed out to officers that the burglar got into the residence through a side door, breaking a glass pane and unlocking it, Guenther said.
The Fender guitars -- one red, one white -- were valued at about $2,300 each, Guenther said. The burgundy Gibson Les Paul was valued at $1,500. The two Macs, one desktop and one laptop, had a combined value of about $7,000, Guenther said, and the Lenovo 20-inch screen was estimated at $3,000.
The guitars can be replaced, but that's not the point, Dawson said.
"They're insured," he said."We can get other guitars, but I don't care. I want my guitar."
There are pricier instruments out there – we actually saw a $30,000 guitar Tuesday night that was stolen in the past, tracked down at a pawn shop by the serial number on its body.
So as Dawson faces the music about his stolen guitars, there is hope.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
