Criminal Charges have been laid against a Western student after a guitar went missing from the Hard Rock Café in Niagara Falls.
The Hard Rock line of restaurants, well known for their vast array of rock and roll memorabilia, first reported the disappearance of an electric guitar to police late Saturday night. The instrument, signed by rocker Lenny Kravitz, is valued at approximately $20,000.
“We received information from security at the Canadian Hard Rock Hotel,” Andrew Knevel, detective constable with the Niagara Regional Police Service, said. “They had this information on video surveillance and [it] was placed on YouTube for anyone to identify [the suspect].”
According to a NRPS media release, police were notified of the theft on Sunday, Aug. 23. They were quickly able to pinpoint the time of the theft at 1 a.m. and determine the male  suspect’s method of escape — on foot. After a public appeal, the NRPS were able to narrow down the suspects and recover the plundered guitar.
“Subsequent to that we received Crime Stoppers tips.” Knevel added.
The video surveillance also revealed that the male who allegedly stole the guitar had been accompanied by several others, but NRPS did not seem concerned.
“As for now there are no charges pending against them,” Knevel said about the group.
Though the NRPS did not release full details on whether the guitar’s value had diminished as a result of the theft, Knevel believed it was  not damaged.
John Elder, a King’s University College student and London native has been charged with one count of theft valued at over $5,000. Elder’s first court date has yet to be set, according to Knevel.
Officials at the Hard Rock corporate office had no comment on the theft at the time of publication.