PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland police recovered dozens of stolen guitars, music memorabilia and other expensive items while trying to find the signed guitars that were stolen from the Oregon Music Hall of Fame last month.
The thing is, police said the guitars and memorabilia that they found were not the ones that belong to the Hall of Fame.
On Feb. 20, about 70 guitars and other items were stolen from a storage unit the Hall of Fame had been renting near Northeast Sandy Boulevard and 16th Avenue. The Hall of Fame planned to auction off these items to raise money for music education and scholarship programs.
The guitars were signed by famous artists including The Monkees, George Clinton, Lucinda Williams, Arlo Guthrie and Portugal The Man, said Janeen Rundle, scholarship director for the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.
Over the course of a three-week investigation, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) served search warrants in Gresham, Fairview and Damascus while trying to track down the guitars.
On Tuesday, the PPB announced they had recovered numerous stolen guitars along with memorabilia such as signed posters, photos and album covers. Investigators seemed certain that the items belonged to the Hall of Fame.
However, after trying to return the guitars and memorabilia to the Hall of Fame, the nonprofit was unable to identify any of the items as theirs.
In addition to the guitars and memorabilia, police recovered a Graco industrial paint sprayer and a Zodiac combat rubber raiding craft. Police said both items are believed to be worth more than $15,000 each.
Eric Michael Lamberton, 40, was arrested on charges of first-degree burglary and first-degree aggravated theft, and more charges are expected to be added. He is also facing other charges tied to unrelated cases, police said.
PPB's Central Neighborhood Response Team is continuing their investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact crimetips@portlandoregon.gov.
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