Category · Musical instruments
Report a stolen instrument
Guitars, amps, synths and brass are distinctive and heavily loved — and they resurface on marketplaces and in music-gear groups. Serials and unique wear make a stolen instrument easy to claim back.
The identifier that gets it back: Serial number
On the headstock, neck plate, back of the headstock, or inside an acoustic's soundhole; amps and synths stamp it on the rear panel.
Types we watch
- Electric guitar & bass
- Acoustic
- Amps & effects
- Keys & synths
- Drums & percussion
- Brass, woodwind & strings
How theft and resale play out
- Distinctive finishes, dings and mods often identify an instrument better than the serial.
- Music buy-swap-sell groups are a primary resale channel.
- Vintage gear is frequently 'flipped fast, cash only' — a hot-listing tell.
If yours is already gone
- Report it to police and keep the event/reference number.
- Register the instrument on Theftsight (or mark it stolen) with the serial number and photos.
- Share the record with your insurer — they can work the same candidate queue.
- If a listing matches, export the proof pack — never confront a seller alone.
National checklist: How to report a stolen item. See everything we recover.
Put your instrument under watch
Register it in two minutes — private by default. If it's stolen, Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and eBay are scanned against it, and police and insurers on the network can see the case.