Glasgow-based musician 'distraught' after guitars stolen

The theft took place on Saturday, January 27 at Lenny Crainie and his flatmate's home in Govanhill.

Lenny, 25, said: “I love guitars so much. I don’t just play them, I maintain them and set them up. It is a passion of mine, and these things don’t mean anything to the people who rob them.”  

“The most sentimental guitar that I had was my Fender which I had for about 10 years. 

“That guitar has been everywhere with me and now it is gone. I think that is the most upsetting thing because to that robber it doesn’t mean anything. 

“I just feel so upset.”

 The break-in occurred just ahead of Lenny's performance at Celtic Connections. 

For the pair, the day started as a ‘lovely Saturday’ but ended in devastation as their computers, electric and acoustic guitars, bass and much more were stolen from the flat. 

Lenny said: “My flatmate and I were up at about 11am, we had a coffee and went to help our friend move into their new flat. 

“It was a good day, a really nice Saturday. I then got a call from my flatmate that we had been robbed.

“It was like a bad dream when I got to the flat and saw it. 

“The place was just turned upside down. My room was a mess. 

“They clearly rummaged through all of our things and had helped themselves to a Costa Coffee which they poured all over the floor. 

“The windows were cracked open and marks of like a chisel or crowbar were visible. 

“We were panicking a lot, our computers and everything were gone.

“Going to bed that night was the worst thing. Getting your stuff stolen and then sleeping in the same place, just leaves you shaken up. It was so hard to sleep.” 

The pair reported the crime to the police, but Lenny said the force have not yet been able to locate the stolen goods or the people responsible. 

So, the friends decided to take matters into their own hands and make enquiries. 

He explained: “The police hadn’t really found anything, so we had to sort of find out for ourselves.

“I know that the police are busy, but sometimes you just get a bit antsy that your stuff is gone, and it could be travelling further away. 

“I shared a post on Facebook which was shared over 400 times, and I went to a neighbour in the area to see if they had any CCTV – which they did. 

“So, we now had evidence that the crime had been committed and what the van looked like. "We also learned that the vehicle had no registration plate but had been up and down the street several times. 

“It’s nerve-wracking to knock on doors and ask people if they know stuff but for the most part, everyone has been wonderful in trying to help us out. Some people have really stuck their neck out and I’ve certainly not lost any faith in the neighbourhood that’s for sure.”

Police Scotland confirmed that an investigation into the crime is ongoing. 

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 8.10pm on Saturday, January 27, we received a report of a break-in at a property on Queen Mary Avenue in Glasgow.

"Enquiries are ongoing."