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Culver City, Calif. -- It was a heartbreaker for Tom Petty and the band when someone stole five of their precious guitars from a soundstage, but it was music to their ears when police in Southern California announced Tuesday that the instruments had been recovered and a security guard was under arrest.

Police identified the arrested man as Daryl Emmette Washington, 51, of Los Angeles, a private security guard at The Culver Studios lot.

Police Chief Don Pedersen said the break in the case came when the suspect pawned one of the guitars at a Hollywood pawn shop for $250.

"Mr. Petty would have joined us, but he's preparing for a concert in Denver," said Pedersen, who described the stolen guitars as collectively worth $100,000.

A message seeking comment from the band's publicist, Jim Merlis, was not immediately returned.

The instruments were reported stolen last Thursday from The Culver Studios, a sprawling complex...

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' five stolen guitars have been recovered by police. The instruments, which were stolen from the band's rehearsal space in Culver City, Los Angeles last week, included Petty's 1967 blonde Rickenbacker, a Fender Broadcaster belonging to bassist Ron Blair and a Dussenberg belonging to Petty's collaborator Mike Campbell. TMZ reports that a man has been arrested in conjunction with the robbery and that the guitars have not yet been returned to the band. It was revealed this weekend (more)...

Culver City, Calif. (AP) — Five guitars belonging to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have been stolen from a Southern California soundstage where the band has been rehearsing for an upcoming tour. Culver City Police Sgt. Dan Sukal says the theft at The Culver Studios was reported Thursday. On its website, the band offered a "no questions asked" $7,500 reward for information leading to the return of the instruments. The stolen guitars include Petty's blond 1967 12-string Rickenbacker and his Gibson SGTVJunior, Mike Campbell's blue Dusenberg, Ron Blair's Fender Broadcaster and Scott Thurston's 1967 Epiphone Sheridan. The band is known for...

Culver City, Calif. — Five guitars belonging to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have been stolen from a Southern California soundstage where the band has been rehearsing for an upcoming tour.

Culver City Police Sgt. Dan Sukal says the theft at The Culver Studios was reported Thursday.

On its website, the band offered a "no questions asked" $7,500 reward for information leading to the return of the instruments.

The stolen guitars include Petty's blond 1967 12-string Rickenbacker and his Gibson SGTVJunior, Mike Campbell's blue Dusenberg, Ron Blair's Fender Broadcaster and Scott Thurston's 1967 Epiphone Sheridan.

The band is known for a string of hit singles such as "American Girl", "Don't Do Me Like That," and "Breakdown." Their tour kicks off on April 18 in Broomfield, Colo.

The Culver Studios is a sprawling complex of 16 soundstages west of downtown Los Angeles.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers will be releasing a new effort, "Mojo," via Reprise Records some time this spring. It marks the group's first studio set since 2002's "The Last DJ," though Petty released his third solo effort "Highway Companion" in 2006. The first peak into the album, the slow-churning, blue-tinged "Good Enough," is streaming now on tompetty.com. What do you think? Along with the album release, The Heartbreakers -- Petty, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Ron Blair, Scott Thurston, Steve Ferrone -- are going on tour, naturally. Tapping My Morning Jacket, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Joe Cocker, Zz Top and Drive-By...