Heartfelt plea for return of almost 60-year-old guitar

Susie is now putting a call-out to those responsible for the theft to do the right thing and return it.

“The guitar just can’t be replaced,” she said.

“Everything else can be, but not the guitar.”

Susie is not sure of the exact time of the break-in.

“I closed up on Friday at 4pm, and I wasn’t back in there until 10am, on Tuesday,” she said.

“They got in through a skylight in the (Commercial) hotel. They’ve done a lot of damage in there, then got into my shop by breaking through the adjoining door.

“There were things everywhere. Things thrown around. Just pointless damage.

“They took a lot of my hairdressing equipment, and the guitar.”

The guitar in question is an Emperador 12 string, which Susie’s husband, John Floate, bought in 1968.

“John is the founding member of the Derelicts Motorcycle Club,” Susie said.

“That guitar spent 30 years strapped on his back on his motorbike every weekend, attending club runs all over Victoria.

“It’s a well-known guitar in the motorcycle world. It got wet so many times riding in rain.

“The guitar’s been re-blocked four times. Eventually, the guitar engineer said no more.

“John retired the poor old guitar in 1990 and bought a new 12 string.”

It has sat happily on display in Susie’s salon, Hairdressing Lane Benalla, for the past seven years until the break-in.

“The guitar is no use to anyone — it can’t be fixed again — but to us, it holds memories and so many stories,” Susie said.

“We would love to get it back, we’re heartbroken.

“Everything else that was stolen can be replaced, but that guitar can’t.

“We’d love to get it back, as it holds a lot of sentimental value.

“Somebody knows who’s got it, please step up and give us some information so we can get it back.”

Susie said she thought whoever took it, or anyone who knew who took it, was unlikely to go to the police with any information.

“And that’s fine,” she said.

“But please, if you know anything, get in touch with me. That’s all we’re asking.”