Autographed Willie Nelson and Kid Rock guitars stolen from Winnipeg store
One Winnipeg store is missing $2,000 worth of merchandise after two guitars - one autographed by Willie Nelson and the other by Kid Rock -- were stolen last week.
According to the store’s owner Ryan Haynes, the robbery took place when two customers came into The Bench Warmers Collectibles and asked about autographed frames.
Haynes noted he was out of the store at the time, but his partner was there helping the customers.
“[The two individuals] asked him if he could downstairs, grab it, bring one up and show it,” Haynes said in an interview on Tuesday.
“When he went downstairs, the two individuals ended up going into our display cases where we have the guitars and they grabbed the two guitars and took off.”
Haynes added that the customers had been in the store before.
“They knew what they were doing. They knew what they were coming for,” Haynes alleged.
He said the guitars were some of the most valuable items in the store, adding that both guitars had certificates of authenticity and cost $999.99 each.
The store even had custom display cases made for the autographed instruments.
“We’ve invested quite a bit of money into these two items, Haynes said.
“They’re two of our bigger items in the store, which is pretty unfortunate.”
Source: Jamie Dowsett/CTV News
Haynes noted the timing of the robbery was especially unlucky, as the store’s security camera was not recording due to a power outage brought on by Friday’s storm.
“The worst timing for us. The best timing for them,” he said.
Haynes said the robbery is especially hard on the store, as it is a small business that’s been struggling during the pandemic.
“This hurts us right now. We’re struggling to make it by every day,” he said.
However, Haynes said he is hopeful they will get the guitars back after flooding social media with news of the robbery and offering a $200 reward.
“We’re hoping somebody will tell us the individuals that took it or maybe they’ll just come back because we did put a reward as well,” he said.
A report has been submitted to police.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial has fined him US$1,000 for violating his gag order and sternly warned the former president that additional violation could result in jail time.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
When grief and AI collide: These people are communicating with the dead
AI tools can offer recommendations, answer questions and 'talk' with users. But some users are using them to recreate the likeness of the dead.
Russia warns Britain and plans nuclear drills over the West's possible deepening role in Ukraine
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.