04/09/2009

Online Music Forum Nets Stolen Gear

A Northern Ireland online music forum has been instrumental in solving a case of stolen music equipment, writes TheBigList Editor, Damien Whinnery, exclusively.

On Thursday, a user of the popular musician forum Fastfude, reported a cache of equipment, including a rare coloured Fender Jaguar guitar (similar to that pictured) and accessories, had been stolen from his car in Annadale Avenue in Belfast.

Within the hour, another user of the site posted a response saying he had seen the exact same equipment in a popular Belfast store which buys second hand equipment.

The response read: "I fear your jaguar may be in Cash Converters in Belfast… head down there now and check."

Before long a number of users began posting sympathetic messages for the victim's loss, which would have cost an estimated £1,000.

Yesterday evening at 6.02pm, the victim delighted users with the message his equipment had been recovered, all thanks to the users of the Fastfude site.

"Just back from Cash Convertors where we found all our stolen gear. The police have seized it and we will hopefully get it back tomorrow. Fingers crossed the guy who stole it will get caught as the police now have a copy of his ID."

"Thank you very much!"

Cash Converters operate a policy of taking a copy of a seller's ID in case such incidences occur.

A spokesman for the Cash Converters store said: "When anyone sells anything to the store he would have had to show us ID and would be on camera. So I think it's likely police will be able to get a conviction."

Messages of congratulations have been ringing around the forum since last night, with one poster adding: "I've only been on here a few weeks but that's the best thread I've read yet.

"Great to see a result like that and especially so quickly. Well done to all concerned."

A spokesman for the PSNI said: "Police now know who the culprit was, and are investigating."

(DW/BMcC)

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