It seems an unfortunate spate of musical equipment theft that took place around Melbourne earlier this year has now metastasised north. Maia Jelavic, a 20-year-old independent singer-songwriter based in Sydney, is appealing to the public to help her recover her “baby”, a Maton guitar valued at $2,500.
According to Jelavic’s manager, Adam Norris, the singer was supporting East Coast folk duo Siskin River during their album launch at 107 Projects in Redfern on Saturday. In the early hours of Sunday morning, thieves smashed a window and broke into Jelavic’s van, making off with her guitar, as well as “various electronics and her purse”.
“It’s the guitar of course that is the tremendous blow,” writes Norris. “It’s valued at $2,500, and there’s no way we can afford to replace it any time soon, yet alone the great sentimental and creative value it possesses.”
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The guitar in question is a Maton EWC80C cutaway model, with “unclipped strings on the head of the guitar, the sticker on the bridge removed, and nail marks on the soundboard”. Norris also notes that the thieves left the case behind, so the guitar is “just floating around on its own out there”.
While Jelavic and Norris have contacted the police, they are hoping to try and spread the word on social media, “given the ease with which the guitar may have been whisked out of Sydney” and due to the number of garage sales happening throughout Sydney on Sunday, as someone may have bought it unknowing it was stolen.
If you have any information regarding Jelavic’s guitar or the break-in into her van, please contact Adam Norris via his email, [email protected]. Readers can view an image of the Jelavic with the guitar embedded below.
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Unfortunately, Jelavic is not the first local artist to be the victim of gear theft this year. Back in March, Tone Deaf reported on the theft of gear from Melbourne rockers Cash Savage and the Last Drinks, followed by fellow Melburnians The Annie Crooners, who were robbed of a staggering $17,000 worth of music gear in June.
Most recently, Melbourne favourites The Smith Street Band managed to recover gear stolen from them at a show at The Old Bar in Fitzroy in August. After sharing CCTV images of the alleged thieves on social media, an online manhunt ensued, resulting in the recovery of the band’s gear and trending status for the hashtags #ampgate and #fedoraguy.
