You may remember that in August 2012  thieves stole an SB (Steve Barkman) guitar that had been loaned to me by the maker and the car it was in from the 14th floor of an AT parking building in Auckland.

Auckland Transport didn’t seem too interested in getting the video files to the police hence the police had nothing to proceed with. It happened in broad daylight on a Friday.

The thieves jumped the gate of the parking building, drove over to my place and helped themselves to anything of value,  even a windup gramophone. They went thru files, stole diaries, clothes, passport, bank statements…..

Cut to a year and and four months later and it seems they are back again to take the replacement instrument. The Thursday before Anniversary weekend. These guys like long weekends. Labour weekend and Anniversary.

Out of towners I suspect. They come to town when its gonna be busy. I was told that 97% of these crimes are not solved here in Auckland. I guess the presumption is that most people are insured. Yeah right! – The Herald ( thanks) did this piece on the theft. ( Actual photo of guitar below)  Thief plucks busker’s guitar

He’s one of Auckland’s best-known street musicians – his unique style of guitar playing and quirky pearls of wisdom making him a hit with passersby in Queen St.

But Luke Hurley, who lives in the Auckland suburb of Sandringham, has had a $3800 guitar specially made for him taken from the back of his car.

“I could never afford to buy a guitar like that myself. I was lucky enough to have a supporter of my music give it to me,” Hurley said yesterday. ….

“It’s easily identifiable so if anybody has it I’d appreciate it if they’d drop it off at a police station, no questions asked,” Hurley said.

…The guitar, a shallow-bodied 12-string with a sunburst body, was custom-built for Hurley by Dunedin-based luthier Steve Barkman and has “#156 made for Luke Hurley by Stephen M Barkman 03/2012” inscribed on it.

Hurley said the theft wouldn’t stop him making music, though, and instead he would change his approach.

“As the 17th century Japanese poet Mizuta Masahide said, my barn having burnt down, I can now see the moon,” he said.

The story is pretty accurate except that the guitar wasn’t entirely gifted there was still a considerable amount owing

On the good news front I’ve been invited to play in Hjallerup, Denmark .  The trip there is mostly paid for but travel is expensive and so the plan is to do further work over a six week period starting from March 13 of this year so if you are a European reader and would like to invite me please call me anytime +6496295179   or +642102592919 (before March 10) or write luke@lukehurley.co.nz.

House concerts are a win / win for the host and the player so please get in touch if you want me to play one. Any support for this venture would be  appreciated.

By the way the best way to buy my music on line is thru Bandcamp or on the shop page here which uses bandcamp. Thanks for all the great encouragement and support and please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or feedback to this blog.

This is currently the most played song. Enjoy – Love Is

 If you want to help more directly please use the buttons below to make a supporting donation towards a replacement guitar – thanks again.

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