Local musician Robin Greenstein was unloading some luggage from her car on 89th street between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway on Sunday around 9:10 p.m. when two women swiped her vintage banjo, and she’s quite anxious to get it back. She described it to us below:
“My vintage 5 -string banjo was taken/stolen Sunday night May 24 (Memorial Day weekend) around 9:10 pm from the Upper West Side by two young women, one of whom was wearing a striped hoodie (both were in pants/jeans). They took it from W. 89th Street, walked down to Broadway, headed south, and that’s as far as we have gotten on surveillance cameras right now. (They might have been Hispanic, we’re not sure).
They probably have no idea what it is that they took, or what to do with it.
Substantial reward for its return, no questions asked, provided it’s in decent condition. It’s a one of a kind. I’m heartbroken, it’s a family heirloom.
Description: The banjo is an old Paramount headstock open back banjo with a distinctive raised tone ring and double brackets inside. Custom neck made by Providence Guitar and Banjo. The headstock reads “Royal Artist”, Bruno, NY”. Light colored maple wood neck and pot. Ornamented headstock (see photos) and diamond angles markers down the fretboard. There’s a metal arm rest on the banjo, and a heavy, clunky looking pickup system inside the pot.
The banjo had a brown leather clip-on strap. It is heavy to lift.
It was in a vintage Pete Seeger-style extra longneck leather (black) gig bag, with shoulder strap, handle, and forearm carry strap. Very distinctive.”
If you have information, contact Robin at acousticness@gmail.com
check all the pawn shops on the UWS and midtown, you will find this–hopefully. The thieves certainly don’t want a banjo (who does? LOL! j/k) 🙁
Sorry Robin! This is a sad story. Hoping your banjo is returned to you soon.
Very disturbing. Did anyone on the street witness this or was it only seen on camera? Something similar happened to me years ago and totally took me by surprise. It seems unlikely that two girls would steal something on a whim and then calmly walk down to Broadway. Is it possible they were casing the neighborhood and handed off the banjo to someone else? Good luck to you in recovering this heirloom. Hopefully as NTF suggested, it was brought to a pawn shop.
So awful.As a fellow musician its really my worst fear also. I hope you get it back