This is a Sho-Bro that was stolen from me 28 years ago around Minneapolis, MN. Just this week, I found it in a music store in San Diego, CA. I had to buy it back but I am SO glad to have it again!
This proves that there is always hope!
If any of you have ever seen it over the years, let me know.
I've had several people ask questions about the Sho-Bro and the story of getting it back. Here is a link to an article that just appeared in the paper for anyone interested...
Yes. 28 years is a long time, and you probably don't have your original bill of sale or any way to prove ownership by the serial number. My inclination would be to get the police involved and try to prove it's my instrument before paying for it (again). Or maybe see if the Jackson family has a record of Sho-Bro purchases. The guitar even has your initials on it.
I've had several people ask questions about the Sho-Bro and the story of getting it back. Here is a link to an article that just appeared in the paper to anyone interested...
What I find astonishing about this story is the unlikeliness of you just happening to have the inspiration to check eBay at the very time that it was being advertised. The odds are infinitessimal. It makes one start to believe in psychic powers. Either that or the angels were watching over you.
Even though you might not have the original bill of sale, the fact that it has your initials K A inlaid into it must surely have suggested ownership. That music shop should be ashamed of themselves.
It's great that you got your guitar back, but having to pay for it stinks.
To answer your questions about buying it back... I did pursue that by talking to authorities in MN and San Diego. Since it involved two states, that somewhat complicated it.
Detectives in San Diego told me that the way the law was there, it would be a civil case and they cannot seize property unless there is a suspect with a court date (or something like that, I'm not an attorney). With my schedule, it would be logistically impossible for me to go through the civil process out in CA and it would cost me much more than just buying it.
And since they couldn't seize it for holding I was afraid it may be sold before I could do anything and it would be lost again, which I didn't want that to happen. So I bought it back.
On the positive side... the Sho-Bro was built by and given to me by Shot, so I really only paid for it once and I would have paid more because it holds a lot of memories and is pretty unique.
All in all, I would rather have not paid for it but I knew the store had money in it and I didn't want to take any chances on losing it again. I'm happy that I bought it and hope to have many years with it and will pass it on to my kids.
Alan Brookes wrote:It makes one start to believe in psychic powers. Either that or the angels were watching over you.
In a world containing millions of guitarists, and hundreds of thousands of stolen guitars, it would be miraculous if a few instruments didn't find their way back to their owners.
Anyway, this is a good story with a very satisfying outcome.
