Thieves come through ceiling to steal 20 guitars

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Authorities say thieves broke into a Spartanburg music store and stole more than $40,000 worth of electric guitars and equipment.

Spartanburg police think the thieves entered through the ceiling and left by breaking out the front glass door. The thieves cut off the electricity, cut the wires to the store’s surveillance video system and pulled the plug on the alarm system’s battery backup.

Store owner Matthew Roper says he found the mess after 10 a.m. Monday.

Roper says thieves took at least 20 electric guitars, two Fender Passport sound systems and a laptop. He was still taking inventory when the police report was written.