A drunken thief returned two stolen mandolins to a New Jersey guitar store with a note attached that channeled their holiday spirit.
On Dec. 26, Lark Street Music announced on social media that two previously stolen mandolin instruments, valued at $3,500 and $4,250, had been returned to the shop.
The thief also apparently slipped in a handwritten note that read, “SORRY, I BEEN DRUNK, MERRY CHRISTMAS You are good man.”
The music shop’s owner, Buzzy Levine, spoke about his shock at the return of the instruments with ABC News.
"I couldn't believe it. I said, 'This is insane.' This is like, some kind of weird movie that has a happy ending or something," Levine said.
On Dec. 22, Lark Street Music revealed that the mandolins were missing by sharing surveillance video of the alleged thief, who appeared to be stuffing the instruments beneath his parka and exiting the store.
"How to steal 2 mandolins at the same time! Be on the lookout for this criminal and the Gibson F-12 #A2985 and a Weber Yellowstone #9360302. This thief has a Montenegrin accent," read the post.
Levine revealed that he actually saw the person returning the mandolins in two shopping bags.
"An instant later, I wanted to see who did it, and so I went outside, and I saw the guy sort of trotting down the street. And I took chase, probably not the smartest thing to do, and he was he took off,” said Levine. “He was running really fast and kept looking back to see if I was catching up or he was gaining ground, and then he took a turn—and then I lost them.”
Levine explained that he later called 911 to report the incident.