Man Arrested 5 Times, Nabbed with Stolen Guitar from Wrecked Store
Photo: Red guitar (not the one that was stolen)
SAN RAFAEL — A local resident with an illicit drug history is behind bars again—following a guitar snatching and holiday un-decorating incident. It’s his fifth arrest in 2017.
Police responded on December 11 to an activated burglar alarm shortly after 5 a.m., at the Magic Flute music instrument store located at 182 Northgate Drive.
It was evident to investigating officers that a smash-and-grab robbery had occurred, but the culprit was already gone. Storefront glass was broken, window paintings and holiday decorations were destroyed or otherwise in disarray. Colorful lighting that had been hung inside the store was missing, but later found inside a nearby trash bin.
About a dozen music instruments were damaged, and one inexpensive “red” guitar designed for beginners was stolen; other more expensive guitars and instruments were left untouched.
A few hours later a Marin County Sheriff’s Office deputy spotted a suspicious man riding a bicycle on Lucas Valley Road; he was carrying a red guitar without a case.
He was stopped for questioning near a bus stop located close to a freeway ramp, where Lucas Valley Road meets with Highway 101. A check of the serial number on the guitar indicated it was reported stolen from the store.
The suspect Gregory J. Ross, 33, was arrested at 9 a.m. by San Rafael police on suspicion of possession of stolen property, possession of a dangerous drug without a prescription, and violation of probation.
Ross is being held at Marin County Jail on open charges in lieu of $839 bail. He’s scheduled to appear December 14 for a hearing at Marin County Superior Court.
Ross was previously arrested four other times this year—for possession of a controlled substance, public intoxication, and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
