Police arrest suspect in theft of high-end instruments

York region police have arrested a suspect in connection to the thefts of several high-end instruments from a Richmond Hill shop last month.

Police say a $900 guitar pedal and a series C trumpet valued at more than $4,500 were taken in the brazen daylight theft at Cosmo Music back on Jan. 5.

Surveillance footage shows the suspect perusing the trumpets, which are on open display inside the store, before putting one of them into a black bag and walking away.

“It hurts, you’re violated,” Cosmo Music vice-president Rudy Brouwers told CityNews at the time of the thefts. “It’s like when a band downtown gets gear robbed out of their vehicle. It just hurts the community.”

Police say thanks to tips from the community, a man was arrested in Toronto on Feb. 13.

Gregory Brian Moore, 49, of no fixed address is facing charges of theft over $5,000, possession of property obatined by crime over $5,000 and two counts of breach of probation.

While this isn’t the first time an instrument has been stolen from the 56,000 square foot facility, Brouwers told CityNews they were not considering putting items under lock and key.

“No, I don’t think we would start locking things up, that’s not what we’re about,” he said. “We like it when our customers can come in and can touch and feel, take the instruments down and play it without having to go ask permission for it.”

Watch Erica Natividad’s original story about the theft which aired on CityNews on Feb. 1