Monday, Oct. 8 update: Five of the seven guitars were recovered during the execution of a search warrant, police say.

B.C. rockers 54-40 played the first of their annual back-to-back Thanksgiving weekend shows Friday night with unfamiliar instruments, after seven vintage guitars were stolen from the back of a U-Haul truck in New Westminster on Thursday night.

The band announced the theft on its Facebook page Friday, offering a $5,000 reward for the instruments guitarist Dave Genn considers “priceless.”

"We're very eager to get them back,” Genn told CTV News. “They're vintage instruments made by Fender and Gibson in the 50s and 60s, so they're not your run-of-the-mill, off-the-shelf guitars."

“They’re very near and dear to us, personally and musically,” he said.

Chris Young, co-owner of the guitar store Exile on Main Street, specializes in maintaining rare and vintage guitars. He said the theft of musical instruments is unfortunately quite common.

“A lot of artists are reluctant to tour with vintage instruments for just the reason that we’re talking about,” Young said.

He said it’s possible the thieves don’t realize what they’ve gotten their hands on.

“This is grand theft,” Young said. “It's got to be in excess of $100,000. There's a couple in there that'd push the value really high. It's like stealing a number of cars.”

That said, stolen guitars - particularly distinctive or recognizable ones - can be quite difficult to sell. Most guitars have serial numbers on them, making it easier for potential buyers or resellers to track their origins.

Genn said one of his biggest fears is that the stolen guitars will be located, but come back to the band having been damaged or spray painted in an attempt to disguise their identities.

“At that point, they become not as special,” he said. “Worthless, I guess … It changes the value, it changes the sound, and it changes the meaning.”

Formed in Tsawwassen in 1981, 54-40 gained widespread fame with their 1986 hit “I Go Blind,” which was also covered in 1995 by American rock band Hootie & the Blowfish.

Anyone who witnessed the alleged theft or has information on the instruments’ whereabouts is urged to contact New Westminster police at 604-525-5411 and the band’s management at 604-761-2025 or info@5440.com.

With files from CTV Vancouver’s Penny Daflos