Viral video of thief stealing expensive mandolins from New Jersey music shop leads to unexpected twist

A pair of vintage mandolins worth thousands of dollars that were recently stolen from a North Jersey music shop have been returned, but with a note attached.

CBS News New York’s Nick Caloway spoke to the owner of that shop, where there are cameras everywhere.

What the video shows  

Lark Street Music in Teaneck has been selling and servicing vintage guitars and other instruments since the 1990s. Owner Bernard “Buzzy” Levine said the shop ships all over the country.

However, he said he’s only had one stolen instrument before. That is, until last week.

“I was over there at the computer, you know, answering mail or putting something on the website. I sort of ignored him totally. He leaves, and a few minutes later I looked up over there and there’s two empty spaces,” Levine said.

Missing were two vintage mandolins, each worth about $4,000.

“We checked the cameras. That’s when we found the amazing footage of him and his technique,” Levine said of the suspect.

That technique involved the man shoving the mandolins inside his long coat before leaving.

Levine said he called police and posted the video and it went viral.

“I put it on our Facebook page because, you know, people should know. He might try to sell them or whatever,” Levine said. “Then people loved the action, I guess, so it spread all over the place.”

“Sorry, I been drunk, merry Christmas. You are good man.”

A few days later, the mandolins were returned, dropped at the shop’s the front door, with a short, handwritten note that read, “Sorry, I been drunk, merry Christmas. You are good man.”

“I think it was so prevalent all over the place that maybe a friend, maybe a relative, told him that, ‘Sooner or later, they’re going to catch you,'” Levine said.

The mandolins remain in police custody, but Levine said he is glad he’ll get them back soon enough.

The instruments may have been returned, but the thief never really faced the music. Police said the investigation is ongoing and the search for the suspect continues.