Three people, including juvenile, arrested after $15K rare guitar theft

BEL AIR, Md. (WBFF) — Three suspects, including one juvenile, have been arrested in connection with the theft of a rare $15,000 guitar from Music Land in Bel Air, according to the Bel Air Police Department.

The adult suspects have been identified as 18-year-old Ionut Kenzo Stoica and 19-year-old Milescu Alexa Teodora, both from Roselle, New Jersey.

The juvenile is from Middlesex, New Jersey. Their identity if not being released due to Maryland law.

Despite the arrests, the guitar has yet to be recovered.

According to police, four people entered Music Land, located at 200 Gateway Drive, at approximately 8:20 p.m. on Feb. 3.

The group — one man and three women — was seen browsing the store, including its humidity-controlled acoustic guitar room.

Surveillance footage shows the male suspect climbing onto a stool and removing a guitar from a display area.

He then handed the instrument to one of the female suspects, who concealed it in a large bag and hid it beneath a long black puffy winter jacket before the group exited the store a short time later without paying.

No employees were confronted or injured during the incident.

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Following an investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies and private sector partners across several jurisdictions, including agencies in Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, California, Connecticut, Washington, Pennsylvania, and federal law enforcement, three of the four suspects were identified by Feb. 27.

Arrest warrants were then obtained for all three suspects, according to police.

On March 11, the suspects were apprehended by the Greenwich Police Department in Connecticut.

They’re currently in the process of being extradited back to Maryland.

These suspects are allegedly connected to other theft investigations involving musical instruments in Maryland and New Jersey.

They’re possibly associated with a group involved in organized retail theft activity operating in multiple regions, according to Bel Air police.

The stolen 1947 Martin D-28 guitar has not yet been recovered, and detectives are continuing efforts to locate it.

The guitar has distinctive cracking on the back from prior refinishing, along with a unique serial number — 101862 — that can help confirm ownership if it is recovered.

The stolen 1947 Martin D-28 guitar{ }(Bel Air Police Department)

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Bel Air Police Department at 410-638-4500.