A theft involving drum sets originally owned by Poison drummer Rikki Rockett has reached a positive resolution, thanks to a tip from a music store employee in the Seattle area.
The thieves, unaware of the tight-knit Seattle music community, were caught, and all five stolen drum sets were returned undamaged.
Donn Bennett, a broker specializing in rare musical instruments, was the first to notice the theft.
“I deal in rare musical instruments,” said Donn Bennett, from Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault. “As soon as I got there, I saw the broken lock.”
The storage unit containing the drum sets, valued at approximately $100,000, had been broken into. Bennett quickly realized what had happened.
“I was devastated,” Bennett shared.
He immediately reported the theft to the King County Sheriff’s Office.
“He told me it was from the band Poison,” said Deputy Adriana Mazur of the King County Sheriff’s Office. “I wasn’t familiar with Poison initially, but I did some research.”
Bennett also posted about the theft on social media, including photos of the stolen instruments.
The post was seen by Andy Emery, a longtime friend of Bennett and an employee at Guitar Center in Tukwila. The store has a program where they buy rare or high-quality vintage drums from the public.
“That’s what I saw!” Emery recalled upon seeing the post.
Emery recognized the drum sets, having seen them the day before when a couple attempted to sell them at the store.
“They showed me pictures on their cell phone. They were being a bit vague about the pictures, but I could make out the brand of the drums. I told them, ‘Okay, these are quality, but I need to see them in person,’” Emery explained.
Emery immediately contacted Bennett, who then provided Deputy Mazur’s contact information.
Just two days later, on Friday, the thieves returned to Guitar Center with the stolen drum sets.
Emery acted interested in purchasing the drums.
“I immediately went into the back warehouse so they couldn’t hear me and called the detective,” said Emery.
Following Deputy Mazur’s advice, Emery stalled the suspects, keeping them in the store until authorities arrived. He took his time filling out an intake form, intermittently helping other customers, while the thieves stood by.
“That was the longest half hour of my life,” Emery laughed.
According to Bennett, the stolen drums were recovered in perfect condition, a result he described as “miraculous.”
“I mean, that never happens,” Bennett said.
The suspects were arrested, but according to the King County Sheriff’s Office, they are no longer in custody.
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