A local charity said they could be out thousands of dollars, after signed guitars used to raise money were stolen from their office over the Easter weekend.
Todd Crawshaw, the executive director of the Rock and Roll Society of Edmonton said their office was broken into at about 1 a.m. Sunday.
Crawshaw counted five stolen guitars: four Fender Stratocasters and a black and white Fender bass guitar.
“To raise money, we have the Edmonton Rock Music Fest every summer, every band that comes through signs guitars,” Crawshaw said.
The four guitars were each signed by a number of individuals: a red one was signed by Big Brother and the Holding Company (known as Janis Joplin’s band), a pink one was autographed by Sweeney Todd, a black guitar was signed by Jefferson Starship and another black one was signed by former mayor Stephen Mandel in 2010, to commemorate a $19,500 grant.
The bass was signed by a number of festival artists in 2012.
“The guitars that were taken, we use as auction items to raise funds that support the program,” Crawshaw said. “To hire and pay our mentors and musicians, to buy musical instruments for these kids that don’t have a lot of chances for participation and culture.”
Crawshaw said the organization usually raises between $3,000 and $5,000 per guitar at auction.
“At top dollar, that’s $25,000 that’s out of our coffers, out of the program, and it’s almost a full year of support for our charity,”Crawshaw said.
He believes the thieves targeted only autographed instruments. He said there were a number of more valuable guitars that were not signed, but were left behind.
The Rock and Roll Society of Edmonton is a registered charity that operates the Centre for Arts and Music Program.
The program brings mentors and musicians to work with students in schools and with youth at risk. Kids participating in the program learn how to play instruments, form bands, to write songs and to perform.
Currently, the program is offered at three local junior high schools, Rite Track and the Yellowhead Youth Centre.
Now, Crawshaw hopes getting the word out will result in the return of the instruments, or prevent any legitimate collectors from accidentally buying a stolen item.
“We are frightened that a well-meaning rock and roll memorabilia collector may pick up one of these guitars not knowing that they were stolen out of a kid’s charity,” Crawshaw said. “We also know that the earlier we spread the word, the less likely it’s going to be that these guitars are going to be fenced or sold to an unwitting customer.”
The charity was created in 2010, and about 380 kids have been through the program since then.
