Inland Empire duo arrested after police find 30 stolen guitars

(Rancho Cucamonga PD)

Police arrested a pair of Inland Empire men on Sunday after they say the duo stole 30 guitars.

Employees of the Rancho Cucamonga Guitar Center in Victoria Gardens called police, believing they recognized the men suspected of previously stealing from the Riverside Guitar Center, reports the Press Enterprise. Before police arrived, employees watched the men steal a speaker and drive away.

Employees jotted down the license plate number and when cops arrived they were easily able to track an address and a search warrant down.

Sunday night at 9pm, deputies went to the address where they discovered 30 stolen guitars – including ukuleles, banjos, mandolins, Gibson Les Paul electric and acoustic guitars. The men denied the guitars were theirs.

Jason Poe, 38, and John Mahalak, of unknown age, both of Rancho Cucamonga, were arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property.