[UPDATE: Guitar Returned!] Man Claiming to Be From Garberville Allegedly Stole a Guitar in Ukiah; Recognize Him?

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Detail from security camera.

A man stole a valuable guitar from Craftsman Estate, a store in Ukiah, earlier this week. Lance Anderson the owner believes the person responsible might live in the Garberville area.

This is what Anderson said happened:

On Wednesday around 3:15 p.m. when his store only had one person clerking, the man pictured above sold a used guitar to the store. In the process he showed his license to the clerk. The name on the license was John Goss. While the clerk was busy with another customer, Anderson said, “[The suspect] moved our guitar into a case we had for sale and had it with him as well…as if it were his…[The clerk] didn’t see what was going on, and he walked out with it…”

The suspect, according to Anderson, is “at least 6’2″ or taller, and the guitar he took was a smaller sized old Washburn acoustic guitar from 1915” which is valued at $1300-$1800.

Anderson says he has contacted police departments and sheriff’s offices in several areas and he has a police report locally. If you have any information about the guy or the guitar, you can contact the Ukiah Police Department at (707) 463-6242.

Caution: The name and the photo are believed to belong to the person who took the guitar. However, this allegation has not been proven in a court of law.

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UPDATE 4/12: The business owner confirms the guitar has been returned. He wrote,

….[L]ate yesterday the man brought [the guitar] back to the store, and he was stopped by police shortly afterward in his car…waiting to hear if they arrested him…his picture hasn’t shown up in the booking logs for Mendocino County yet. Thank-you for your diligence and assistance…. I had called him and conversed, telling him we wanted the guitar… then he called and said he was returning it. I told him it was a wise decision and that it would be the best thing he could do in the event that he was found..

UPDATE 4/13: Goss was released. The business owner tells us, “[Law enforcement] released Goss yesterday because he had no prior record, and returned the guitar….[M]ight be advantageous to encourage others to file on him if he chooses the same plan to steal…”

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51 Comments
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Dyerville Loop is Not Alderpoint
Guest
Dyerville Loop is Not Alderpoint
7 years ago

People who steal others tools and musical instruments should be forced to work for a living @ minimum wage , in HELL, till it freezes over. [edit]

SickOfit
Guest
SickOfit
7 years ago

Yep that’s John!! Drives a green suburban?? Any one remember Radio Shack or Feather Rose thefts in Garberville??? Dope head!! Hope the cops can get him on this one!!!

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
Ernie Branscomb
7 years ago
Reply to  SickOfit

Yep, good old john. He has flat thiefed every store in Garberville. I have multiple camera views of him stealing a flashlight. I chased him down the street, and made him give it back. He told me in front of witnesses that “it fell in his pocket”. And swore that he wasn’t a thief and that he owns property here. He is kicked out of every store in Garberville.

There is no reason for him to stop stealing. He probably gets away with more than he is caught with. We either need laws that can protect us from thieves like him or get rid of laws that prevent us from beating the living crap out of him. Maybe Don Trump will pay our legal fees.

Brad
Guest
Brad
7 years ago

Ernie, you should have lobbied for an old fashioned pillory to be constructed in the town square.

Ice cream lady
Guest
Ice cream lady
5 years ago

Well yep weve got him on camera stealing from us laat week hes still doing it dosnt matter if he has mental illness still cant be theifing from all the bussines in all these different towns thats just crazy..he knows exactly what hes doing and is very smart at it..yep we filed a police report..weve got him on camera and his car and liscense plate number

Silvana goss
Guest
Silvana goss
7 years ago

If you are Lilly white yourself don’t judge what you don’t know. Mental illness is a terrible thing. You shouldn’t judge. Shame on you.
His mom

August west
Guest
August west
7 years ago
Reply to  Silvana goss

No one is judging, just pissed some fake ass hippy flashing dead head images is running rampant as a thief. He does nothing for any community. Well see if we see h in garberville anymore. Go apologize to Ernie and Katie and all the other mercjents you’ve stolen from and be a real man.

Ali baba
Guest
Ali baba
7 years ago

John goss .He’s on facebook,

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
7 years ago

If he’s from G-Ville somebody here should recognize this jackass.

So humboldt single
Guest
So humboldt single
7 years ago

Yep big time shop lifter. Has hit several shops in Garberville. He feel he is entitled for a hard life.

Koolatz
Guest
Koolatz
7 years ago

Yeah he’s from garbageville,.. just seen him hang out in front of the bank on the southend, towards the rose pedaling a knife and silver chain and rocks of some sort…

wow
Guest
wow
7 years ago

Have they checked to see if the guitar he sold them was one stolen from npk??

Garbornriginal
Guest
Garbornriginal
7 years ago
Reply to  wow

The Guitar he sold was a small 12 string.

August west
Guest
August west
7 years ago

Yea this guy drives a white suburban with trx stickers giving dead heads a bad name. Get back home where you belong, don’t you run off no more. Saw him show up in garberville last year. Not a very good thief if you ask me. His pictures always getssnapped! Posers running amok!!

Shanda Rial
Guest
Shanda Rial
7 years ago

No He is from Laytonville.
I gave the police a video of him stealing 20 dollars for the WOMENS SHELTER off the counter.

G-ma
Guest
G-ma
7 years ago

Granny said scum bum

C
Guest
C
7 years ago

Yup John, who when I confronted him said he’s no thief. Yea right he usually makes sure clerk is occupied with customers and steals what he can. Or he will bring friends to distract the clerk and steal.

smiles
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  C

He’s a Good Person … he gives and shares with everyone he comes into contact with !

Liz
Guest
Liz
7 years ago
Reply to  smiles

Sounds like you may be in possession of stolen goods.

Scott Z
Guest
Scott Z
7 years ago

Steal your face right off of your head…

August west
Guest
August west
7 years ago
Reply to  Scott Z

Except the person the that the song was about was a way more slick their than this jackass. Hope he feels our stares in town. We don’t have to be violent to be people living in town that are draining it’s energy and resources with theivery and drug use, but we can ostrisize them and stare em down and make em feel that small town community watching them. We can do it!!

Not A Warf Rat
Guest
Not A Warf Rat
7 years ago
Reply to  August west

Mickey Harts dad?

G-ma
Guest
G-ma
7 years ago
Reply to  August west

And tell him to get hell out and stay out its your right as a business owner to refuse any service!!

Silvana goss
Guest
Silvana goss
7 years ago
Reply to  G-ma

Don’t speak what you don’t know. Get the facts before you open your mouth. Causes nothing but trouble. If you are without blemish then you can talk. If not shut up
His mom

August west
Guest
August west
7 years ago
Reply to  Silvana goss

No one is perfect but not everyone steals from every store on a region. Don’t enable, if you really are his mothet

Silvana goss
Guest
Silvana goss
7 years ago
Reply to  August west

He has done the right thing and returned the item. Stop judging. Start loving
His mom

It's time.
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  Silvana goss

This guy is a horrible person, no matter what people say. [edit] I had guitars stolen from me and the fact that he went and gave it back makes me even angrier, like he’s so cocky and has no regard about stealing things he just gives it back like a child taking his friends Pokemon card. This man needs to be punished. Also if he gave the guitar back what about all the other thing he’s stolen? He should have to repay every debt. Don’t come back to garberville go the F back to laytonville, oh he prolly stole all kinds of stuff there and isn’t welcomed back.
John I hope you get you karma, nothing worse than a theif.

Hick
Guest
Hick
7 years ago

With all the theft of musical instruments latley, there must be a band of outlaws out the somewhere!

HAHA
Guest
HAHA
7 years ago
Reply to  Hick

good one

ekanfromdows
Guest
ekanfromdows
7 years ago

It fell in my pocket? He should have just said “Derp Derp Duh!!!”…that sounds more intellegent.

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
7 years ago

I will be monitoring the area this week with decoys, come play with me John. Please! I have a few things I’d like you to steal from me… Only once

Anel
Guest
Anel
7 years ago

I have met John before and spent a good amount of personal time with him. He has been about nothing but honesty and respect to me and my loved one. I have noticed he has a bit of a attitute but we all have are days and make mistakes. John made a mistake and is going to make it right. Y’all should stop being hypocritical and give people a chance to fix there mishaps before jumping so fast to judgements.

August west
Guest
August west
7 years ago
Reply to  Anel

Make it right? He has his picture up for a year know on several garberville stores and now others andbhe always gets caught. Is he going to turn himself in? Give the town some money? Clean up the sidewalk? Smoking weed with people and giving people rides only goes so far when you start ripping off people that don’t smoke week and don’t need a ride

Silvana goss
Guest
Silvana goss
7 years ago
Reply to  August west

You don’t even know my son except your eyes see which can be deceiving. He has the biggest heart I know because I’m his mom. He helps the people that are down and out not the ones that have it all house with a white picket fence

August west
Guest
August west
7 years ago
Reply to  Silvana goss

So he steals from shop owners?? From actual stores that arents fronts? How is that helping anyone? How how how? Makes no sense. Maternal love is one thing, but come on! Tell him to come home and reset.

Silvana goss
Guest
Silvana goss
7 years ago
Reply to  Anel

Thank you his mom. He really has a good heart but suffers from mental illness hopefully now he will get the help he needs that he’s needed for so long. I love him

Sarah
Guest
Sarah
7 years ago

John is an amazing person going thru Extremely Hard times in Life … He also is one of the most Generous, Genuine , Kind people I know … always giving and sharing everything he has … I don’t honestly know many people good enough to judge anyone for that matter when it comes to who they really are …

Liz
Guest
Liz
7 years ago
Reply to  Sarah

Lots of people go through extremely hards times and their moral compass still is in tact. You have been conned by a very charming con artist.

Garbornriginal
Guest
Garbornriginal
7 years ago
Reply to  Sarah

Hard times may be getting harder for John: From what I see here with regards to the value of the vintage Washburn Guitar that he stole; This is GRAND THEFT. John might want to honor his “amazing person” persona and return the vintage Washburn guitar of which he stole. This would be a good start.

Silvana goss
Guest
Silvana goss
7 years ago
Reply to  Garbornriginal

Already done. He did the right thing.

August west
Guest
August west
7 years ago
Reply to  Silvana goss

Is this true kym?

Garbornriginal
Guest
Garbornriginal
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

It has been confirmed that the guitar has been returned. Thank you for all of your help and support. What a great community we have. This is the post from Thomas Butzow who works at Craftsman Estate in Ukiah.
Thomas Butzow “Super employee at Craftsman Estate in Ukiah Ca.”
29 mins · Ukiah, CA, United States ·
I just wanted to take a minute to thank all of you folks who shared my posts about the guitar. WE GOT IT BACK!

Thank you so much you guys, people I didn’t even know were asking about the guitar and if there was any news or if they could help. Now that’s what I call a powerful music community. I truly appreciate you guys, we practically had all of California searching…

August west
Guest
August west
7 years ago
Reply to  Sarah

OK maybe he has a heart, but clearly he’s been just thriving in and out of stores around here for the last year. He showed up in Oregon plates.. He is always cohorting with know meth heads and disrespectful Street peoe, not the kind hearted travelers and good family. Good family doesn’t steal from so many stores and have their face up everywhere. Whoa oh what I want to know.. Is are you kind? One man gathers what another man spills, he doesn’t steal from mercjents and hard working business owners. SHWAG. And any of you wanna b tour kids shwagging around with him, go on dead tour and at least hear some music and stop vampiring a small town. Some of us older heads and family want peace and safety for not just our families and friends but also those we live around and shop with and from, no matter their interests or beliefs. That’s what the grateful dead taught me, that we can all be kind and relate through experienced, hard times, good times, and our need for each other and for a community and for infrastructure like shops and stores in order to thrive on this world. So John, shape up, or ship out man. We don’t need shwag. We need good family.

Silvana goss
Guest
Silvana goss
7 years ago
Reply to  August west

Don’t have to tell me about dead heads I’m from that error. Just have to pray for folks like John. And not judge people. There’s to much of that crap going on I this world. And websites like this is really nothing more then a gossip column

August west
Guest
August west
7 years ago
Reply to  Silvana goss

It’s not gossip when his face is all over town as a thief. Tell him to come home or move on then. He’s dragging our town down even.more. Shwag dead head family! Not judging just telling it like it is. I ain’t perfect, but I ain’t a vampire. He knows exactly what he is doing

It's time.
Guest
7 years ago
Reply to  Sarah

It sounds like you and Silvana need to stop enabling this pile of trash. Instead of being so loving, maybe try some tuff love. If you ask me, your just as responsible for this mans thefts if you have been standing up for him through all these times he’s been stealing. How’s about you go around and pay for all the chaos he’s been causing around town. Oh!? but that would be pointless because your not the one who’s doing this, he is. You can’t blame this on a mental illness I know people with real mental illness’ and they don’t go around stealing stuff. Wake the F up

Liz
Guest
Liz
7 years ago

When I worked in retail when a known thief came in all the other merchants were phoned to be on the look out. I wonder if they still look out for each other.

Built to last
Guest
Built to last
7 years ago

Back in g ville today. No stickers on truck

Coletta
Guest
Coletta
7 years ago

I’m poor as dirt and play music. There are many things i want to get my groove on and I have had opportunity to walk away without anyone ever knowing the better… Accept me, I would know and I can’t live with that 🙁

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
7 months ago

2023 UPDATE: this guy (JOHN GOSS) is STILL stealing from businesses all over the Bay Area. We were notified about him a couple of months ago hitting shops in the East Bay and have been tracking him because YES… lots of antique stores keep in contact. He was in Napa yesterday, showed up in Sonoma today. Tell him he is NOT WELCOME in your stores.. he is a THIEF. There’s at least one currently open legal case against him that I am aware of at this time.