Preparing for the Unthinkable 

Part Two: Bad Times at the Petsch Ranch

In September of 2018, following the theft of a guitar from our store, I wrote an article discussing the precautions one can take to safeguard against theft and the recommended actions one should take in the event of a “guitarnapping “  (incidentally, any articles from previous newsletters are always available upon request).  On December 28^thof last year, I was given the opportunity to put principle into practice, when Hopper (the dog) and I arrived home around 10 PM to find the front door open.  

Oddly enough, it often takes a moment for a violation like a burglary to sink in. For instance, approaching the door on that bitterly cold, dark night, I was briefly puzzled and wondered if I’d forgotten to lock the door, allowing it to somehow blow open. Yet, my past experiences quickly informed me otherwise—the inner voice said, “No dude, you’ve been robbed!”  Standing at the door, I hollered into the house.  My voice eliciting no response, I tentatively peered inside, noting the jumble of broken wooden window shades around the open dining room window. Confident that no one was still inside, I followed a trail of cast-off possessions that suggested a clumsy, rapid, and possibly gleeful, larcenous egress:  an empty Collings case lay face down on the living room floor like a fallen soldier; a microphone and a pedal were scattered by the stereo; and a capsized rolling stool lay on the hallway heat register, entangled in a rat’s nest of power cables and footswitches.  Perhaps in an effort to brace myself for what was to come, I took a moment to briefly scan my ransacked bedroom, an explosion of clothing and overturned bedding.  Then, I took a deep breath, turned around, and walked into the music room, my inner sanctum, to let the grim reality of my worst nightmare wash over me. 

All told, a dozen guitars were gone, along with an amp, some pedals, a couple cases and various accessories. Among these were several of my most prized instruments, including my primary guitar (a Collings OM2HC) and the painstakingly-crafted “Cosmic Fern,” which I had just completed a month or so prior. Painful as these losses were, I was particularly saddened to realize that among the stolen guitars were two instruments that were on loan to me for use on a current recording project—it bears mentioning that while I’ve lent guitars out over the years, I’d only borrowed an instrument once before! Needless to say, it was deeply depressing to notify my father that his mint condition 1935 Martin Terz guitar was gone.  And then I got to repeat that experience with my colleague, Mark Pertain, who had graciously loaned me his electric 12-string.  However, as fate would have it, a mixture of my preparedness, my vigilance, and a sprinkling of fantastic luck (or possible karmic restitution for all of the unresolved incidents of theft in the past) would result in me recovering the majority of that which was stolen.  

In my 2018 article, I made the recommendation to create a detailed inventory (including photos!) of your instruments for insurance purposes.  Following my experience, I cannot stress the importance of this enough!  In my case, I had created an Excel spreadsheet (which is easily stored on the cloud, should your computer be stolen!) where I detailed the make, model, serial number, and full replacement value of each instrument or piece of equipment. I also included notes with respect to identifying marks/wear, modifications, and even the cost of any service done to the instrument. Incidentally, for serious collectors, it is recommended to track your investment (i.e., actual cost vs. market value) on a separate version of the spreadsheet, as any information about your actual cost could potentially work against you in the event of a claim.  While creating this file is obviously a tedious task, I encourage you to just bite the bullet once and do it, as having this information ready at hand is your most effective safety net in the event of theft! 

Along that line, I was able to instantly produce a comprehensive list of missing instruments and their total value (which has bearing on the criminal charges) for the police who responded to my call. I was also able to easily amend my list over the following week, as I discovered that more items were missing.  More importantly, I was able to immediately send this information to all of the surrounding guitar stores that night.  I spoke to the managers of those stores that didn’t have public email addresses first thing in the morning, and was likewise immediately able to send them my list.  The larger chains tend to have regional email distribution, which is very helpful as they can alert all of the stores in their network.  Sure enough, within three hours of me speaking to the manager at Guitar Center, I got a call from them telling me that they had three of my guitars and that the police were arresting the person who had attempted to sell them!  So, again, I can’t stress this enough: Time is of the essence in the case of a guitar theft, as the thieves usually work fast to offload the stolen goods!

A few days after the Guitar Center incident, the officer in charge of my case called me to discuss the remaining stolen items.  Given the relative lack of information and the absence of any video or eye witness accounts of the theft, he wasn’t too optimistic. But, once again, I was immediately able to send him an updated list.  The next day, he called me to inform me that he had found six more of my guitars.  A week or so later, he found another guitar and a good deal of stolen electronic gear.  All of this gear had evidently been pawned; and, as pawn shops are required to hold items for 30 days before selling them while also publishing a list that the police can check, the officer was able to spot my stolen gear quickly. Moreover, thanks to the pawn shops’ surveillance footage and ID checks, he was readily able to secure two warrants.  In the course of this, the officer made a point of telling me that the list, and particularly the serial number records, had been essential.  According to him, it is pretty rare that folks are able to provide the police with this information. Without it, it is much more difficult, if not impossible, to prove ownership and reclaim your stolen possessions. 

Throughout this experience, I was in continual contact with my insurance company, Heritage (who I highly recommend); or, rather, Heritage maintained very good contact with me.  While I have no complaints about the outcome of my claim, I will take a moment to convey a few lessons I learned in the process.  First off, it is a really good idea to separately schedule your cases, particularly if they are of substantial value!  While many of my guitars were actually taken without cases, those that were in a case showed up without their case—the thieves also randomly took an empty vintage case.  Secondly, some insurers will offer a miscellaneous coverage option.  This is very handy as it covers all the minor stuff that you might not initially care to list or cover individually, and this stuff can add up to a lot!  For example, I didn’t have my microphones, pedals, and accessories (capos, tuners, harmonicas, straps, slides) listed, and these amounted to several thousand dollars!  Thankfully, I had $1000 miscellaneous coverage, which will go a long way in replacing these items.  Third, damage done to your instruments during the theft can be claimed as devaluation, and you can also claim repair costs.  In making such a claim, you will need to have the instruments professionally assessed, provide documentation, and then reinsure them at the reduced value. Fourth, once your claim is paid, the insurance company now owns anything that has been claimed.  Should the stolen goods resurface, the insurance company will salvage them to recoup what they can; however, you can request first right of refusal and potentially re-purchase your beloved instrument from the insurance company.  If you do so, you will likely only be able to reinsure it at the salvaged cost. Finally, it is critical to keep your policy updated!  Keep in mind that some companies will even let you temporarily add a loaner instrument.  In the end, I was extremely fortunate to recover almost everything that I had neglected to add to my policy, including the loaner guitars, but that is rare (so rare, in fact, that my claims adjuster told me that, after many years on the job, she could count the number of successes like mine on one hand).  

It is my sincere hope that none of you dear readers will ever have to go through an ordeal like mine.  However, statistics suggest that eventually some of you will.  While there is no method of completely preventing such unfortunate events, and no guaranteed means of completely deterring a determined criminal, you can still be prepared! Perhaps, like me, you will be lucky enough to have some of your life restored as a result. – L. Petsch, February 2021