Detectives with the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Saratoga man who stole a guitar worth $20,000 from a Hollister area resident, according to authorities.
On Nov. 25, a male later identified as Mark Michael Ellis, 26, responded to an ad on Craigslist for a guitar valued at $20,000. The man arrived at the guitar owner’s home in the Vineyard Estates neighborhood of San Benito County.
Ellis played the guitar at the home prior to purchase and, during his interaction with the owner, fled the home with the guitar, without playing, reads a press release from the sheriff’s office.
The guitar owner called the sheriff’s office, which began an immediate investigation. On Nov. 26, detectives were able to identify Ellis and track him to his parents’ home in Saratoga, in west Santa Clara County, authorities said.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Saratoga home and arrested Ellis, reads the press release. As the deputies were on the home’s porch, they saw the guitar in Ellis’ bedroom through an open window. The guitar was recovered and returned to the victim.
Ellis was booked at San Benito County Jail on suspicion of burglary and grand theft. He was later released on bail.
