Police Make Arrests in $100K Thefts of Music Instruments

By KRISTAL DIXON (Patch Staff)

Two people have been charged in connection with the discovery of several stolen music instruments inside an Roswell extended stay hotel room -- at least one of which was stolen in Gwinnett County.

Roswell police have charged Gary Donald Crouse, 60, and Leslie Edwards Fields, 52. with felony theft by receiving stolen property, the agency said in a press release. Records show Crouse and Fields were booked into the Fulton County Jail on June 11 where they remain.

Roswell police on Saturday, June 6 were notified by the owner of Atlanta Violins on South Atlanta Street that five violins were reportedly taken from the store between May and June.

The owner of the store was unaware the instruments were taken until he was contacted by a violin store in Raleigh, North Carolina, which informed him that they had his violins, police said.

Roswell detectives followed up on the investigation and on Wednesday, June 10, executed a search warrant at a room at Studio Six, an extended stay hotel at 9955 Old Dogwood Road.

Police recovered over $100,000 worth of stolen instruments as well as a violin investigators say belongs to a store in Gwinnett County and a trumpet allegedly taken from a music store in Alpharetta.

Two oboes, two trumpets and a clarinet were located inside the room, and Roswell police wants to identify who these instruments belong to.

Investigators are asking music store owners to check their inventory and contact Detective Farabaugh at (770) 640-4100 if these instruments belong to you.

---

Photo credits: Roswell police