Arrest made in theft of instruments stolen from classic rock band ‘Heart’
On June 5, the Atlantic City Police Department (ACPD) announced the arrest of a suspect involved in the theft of musical instruments from the iconic and beloved rock band Heart. On May 30, 2025, patrol officers responded to Hard Rock Atlantic City in reference to the theft of a guitar and mandolin from inside of the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena. The instruments belonged to band members from Heart who were playing a concert at the arena.
The band was set to kick off the An Evening With Heart tour at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City on Saturday, and its gear had been set up there the day prior to the show. Among the items stolen were a custom-built, purple sparkle baritone Telecaster guitar with a hand-painted headstock made for band member Nancy Wilson, and a vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin that band member Paul Moak has played for over 25 years. ~ The Associate Press
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The investigation into the thefts led police to surveillance video of the suspect, 57-year-old Garfield Bennett of Pleasantville, New Jersey. Investigators were able to obtain video of Bennett walking through various parts of Atlantic City attempting to sell the instruments.
On Wednesday, June 4, detectives criminally charged Bennett with Burglary and Theft, and patrol officers with the ACPD located Bennett in the first block of south Kentucky Avenue where they took him into custody.
Detectives learned that Bennett sold one of the instruments; but the whereabouts of the other is unknown. Any individual in possession of these stolen items is urged to contact the Atlantic City Police Department and voluntarily surrender the instrument. If not surrendered, and an individual is located in possession of the stolen items, he or she will be arrested and criminally charged with receiving of stolen property.
Police say that Hard Rock Atlantic City security personnel aided detectives in this investigation. Bennett was remanded to the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Atlantic City Police Department Criminal Investigations Section at 609-347-5766 or submit a text anonymously to tip411 (847411). Begin the text with ACPD.
For more on the story, see the video accompanying this article.
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(Source: Atlantic City Police Department)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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