Guitar stolen in 2007 recovered 15 years later, Surrey RCMP say

Mitch Merrett poses for a photo with his recovered guitar and several Surrey RCMP officers. (Surrey RCMP)

A B.C. musician who lost 14 guitars to theft in 2007 was recently able to track down and recover one of them, with the help of Surrey RCMP.

Mitch Merrett, a country musician and promoter, called police earlier this month to report that he believed he had found one of his stolen guitars listed for sale online at a Vancouver pawn shop, according to a news release from the Surrey detachment.

Officers visited the store the next morning, confirmed the guitar was Merrett's, and seized it.

Police said the guitar in question was a gift from Merrett's father.

"It is like getting a piece of my soul back," Merrett said in the RCMP release.

Police praised Merrett's efforts to recover his lost instruments, saying he "never gave up hope" and retained documents and correspondence that made the process of recovering the latest guitar "seamless."

The musician first reported the theft from a storage locker in July 2007, according to police. At that time, the 14 stolen guitars were valued at roughly $25,000.

During the initial investigation, Surrey RCMP were able to recover three of the guitars, and two others were recovered by Ridge Meadows RCMP and Vancouver police.

"Merrett has several guitars that are still outstanding," police said in the release. "You may have purchased one of these guitars without realizing it was stolen. If you think you have one, contact the Surrey RCMP, and we can check to determine if it is stolen or not."

Mounties also issued a specific appeal for one of the missing guitars, including a picture of the lost Ernie Ball Music Man Albert Lee Dargle in their release.