Mandolin melody cut short after thief’s quick nab

KAMLOOPS – Garry Armstrong expected to play his mandolin for seniors on the North Shore yesterday, but couldn’t after it was stolen just moments after he arrived at the Chartwell Kamloops Retirement Residence on Tranquille Road.

Armstrong set his instrument and an amp down near the front of the building while he entered the through the back to unlock the front door for himself yesterday, July 30. Circumventing the building would take about a minute tops, he says, which was the same amount of time for a thief to lift the mandolin.

“I wasn’t very happy,” Armstrong says. “I couldn’t believe it."

Armstrong says a woman told him she saw a man on a bicycle grab the instrument case by the handle before taking off down a nearby alley. The theft was reported to Kamloops RCMP.

He owned the mandolin for close to six years and used it to play for seniors three to four times a week. Before that, he was part of the Old Time Fiddlers troupe in the city.

"It just burns you to think somebody would do that in that length of time. (It’s worth) probably around $1,100,” he says.

Despite his frustrations, Armstrong still played the set with his three other bandmates, using his guitar instead.

Armstrong says officers are keeping an eye on pawn shops in case his mandolin turns up. The instrument is light brown, in a black travelling case lined with red felt. Armstrong’s name is on the case. He says there are four blue dots on the front of the instrument which has a leather strap. Also in the case was a screwdriver, a peg winder, set of strings and an electric tuner. The mandolin is missing an E-string, he says.

To contact Kamloops RCMP, call 250-828-3000. To remain anonymous contact Crime Stoppers at 250-828-3215.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Glynn Brothen at gbrothen@infonews.ca, or call 250-319-7494. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.