Californian guitarist Mason Stoops has taken to social media with a cryptic and emotional message, accusing some of his closest musical peers within the LA community of stealing valuable and sentimental instruments from him.
In an Instagram story shared today, Stoops revealed that the culprits are not strangers but people he once trusted. “Never thought I’d have to say this – but close members of our own LA music community have admitted to stealing extremely valuable and sentimental gear of mine,” he wrote.
Though Stoops did not list all the missing items, he singled out a “priceless family heirloom Rhodes keyboard that’s been in [his] life since before [he] was born” as one of the stolen treasures.
He also hinted at a troubling turn of events, saying that those responsible initially tried to extort him for money. Now, they refuse to return the gear and have concocted conflicting stories to justify keeping it. “First trying to extort me for money, then saying they sold it all, then claiming a mutual friend sold it to them. None of it adds up,” Stoops explained.
“They’ve lied to me, my family, and the police – all while knowing my partner and I already lost so much in the Eaton fire,” he added.
Though Stoops has not specified the full extent of his losses in the devastating California Eaton fires, he had previously shared how he and his partner evacuated quickly as the flames closed in on their home and studio. “We grabbed what we could as the house directly from ours went up in flames,” he told fans at the time.
Despite potentially losing much of his equipment in the fires, Stoops has always maintained a generous spirit when it comes to lending gear to friends in the music scene. “I’ve always loved sharing gear – guitars, amps, pedals – anything to support friends in the community,” he said. “I’ve never had to involve police or take legal action… until now.”
He closed his message with a poignant reflection: “It’s devastating to realise people this cruel actually exist.”
This startling revelation sheds light on the darker side of the music community, where trust and friendship have been broken over cherished instruments and memories.