Chicago

Several Instruments Stolen From Guitar Store on Chicago's West Side

The owner of a guitar store in the Pilsen neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side is looking for whoever stole thousands of dollars worth of guitars from his store.

Richard Phillis, the owner of Chicago GuitarSpace at 600 W. Cermak Rd., said thieves took a total of 12 guitars from his business on Thursday, Aug. 29. 

Of the 12 instruments, 9 were designed and built at the shop, he said.

“We’ve been completely wiped out,” Phillis said. “Nothing survived. All of the instruments went out the door.”

Phillis said the guitars represented all of the work he completed in the past six years, and the future of his business could now be in jeopardy. 

“Right away, I thought it was a prank, you know,” he said. “Too terrible to wrap your mind around. Once I started walking around, I realized they took everything.”

Surveillance video showed a suspect making multiple trips in and out of the store. The suspect reportedly took off in a gray van, Phillis said. 

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