Guitar stolen in 2018 from rock band 54-40 found during police raid in Surrey, B.C.

CHILLIWACK, B.C. – A raid of an apartment in British Columbia has solved a two-year-old mystery about a valuable guitar belonging to a member of Canadian rock band 54-40.

Chilliwack RCMP say an investigation of a break-in in that city led them to Surrey and a suite where a Gibson Dove guitar was among the many items recovered.

The vintage instrument was one of seven stolen from 54-40 in October 2018 when their parked van was targeted by thieves in Metro Vancouver.

Five of the guitars, described by the band as “the most unique” of the set, were recovered soon after, but the Gibson Dove and the seventh instrument remained missing.

Charges are being considered against two people arrested and released in the Surrey raid that RCMP say also uncovered property including credit cards, jewelry, firearms and electric scooters.

B.C.-based 54-40 was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2017 and members Dave Genn, Neil Osborne, Matt Johnson and Brad Merritt have had four platinum albums and eight Juno nominations since the band launched in 1981.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2021.