A heartbroken musician is on a desperate mission to find his one-of-a-kind guitar that was grabbed by a thief just before a benefit concert for challenged athletes.
“My heart just sank. There was a lot of panic,” said Aidan Norcross.
On Friday May 13, along Sixth Avenue in Hillcrest, Norcross walked out to his friend’s car after three hours in a tattoo parlor.
“The trunk was open. A back window was popped, and all of my equipment was gone. Just a lot of disbelief, ” said Norcross.
The frontman with the local rockabilly band Johnny Deadly Trio was headed to a benefit gig for challenged athletes, when he discovered the gold sparkle Gretsch guitar he's been playing for 10 years was stolen.
Also nabbed was an amplifier and voice effects equipment with a total loss of about $3,000.
But it's the guitar, signed by many of his idols that he is determined to get back.
“It becomes a part of you. When I would play that guitar, it was almost magical. I don’t think I would ever sell it, so to me, it’s priceless,” said Norcross.
Since the theft, he's spread the word on social media, and he's also come back to Hillcrest, canvassing the homeless, looking for tips.
“I would just like my gear back. No questions asked,” said Norcross.
Norcross was able to make his benefit gig by borrowing equipment.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help replace the missing equipment.
If you have any information on the theft, call San Diego Police.