JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — After three decades in business, thieves stole from Jefferson County Music Store for the first time Tuesday. The worst part: they struck days before the biggest retail holiday of the year.
"First time in almost 32 years, and this is the first time we ever had someone break in," Darrell Stiles said.
With his foot on the pedal, and his fingertips gliding along the chords, Darrell Stiles says that the guitars that line his wall are worth more to him than their price tags.
"I've been a musician my whole life and played guitar and pedal steel and been in bands my whole life and it's just," Stiles said. "I wouldn't know what else to do if I didn't have the store."
Stiles said they took two amplifiers and about nine guitars ranging from a hybrid special to a Blake Shelton black signature.
"They broke the glass out and they must've come in and cased the placed because they took all the expensive stuff from the front to here," Stiles said. "The racks here were all full.. they knew what they wanted."
Surveillance footage at a neighboring business captured a glimpse of the suspects but was too dark to make out any faces.
"The sheriff's department deputy said they probably got interrupted and just ran," Stiles was told.
Standing next to the empty stands that once held some of his favorite instruments, Stiles says all he can do now is keep going, so the people of Jefferson County have access to all of the tools that make his heart skip a beat.
"It still feels like somebody punched you in the gut when you walk in and go oh no... and it ends up being about $4,800 worth of stuff."
Police think someone might try to sell those guitars.
They are described as:
Michael Kelly Guitars: Hybrid Special, 55 Tele Hybrid, 53 Tele eclipse, Blake Shelton Camo Signature, Blake Shelton Black Signature, Blake Shelton Patriot Black.
They also got away with: M200 Walnut, Matt Guitar Murphy - Used, Ventura V-25 Strat Red.
Anyone with information on where these items might be are asked to contact Jefferson County Police.
