Classic car stolen from Green Day guitarist recovered in OC

COSTA MESA, Calif. (CNS) – Police Wednesday announced the recovery of Green Day singer-guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong’s 1962 Chevrolet Nova, which was stolen last week in Costa Mesa, but some pilfered guitars and an amplifier remain missing.

The vehicle was found abandoned in the El Modena area near the city of Orange on Tuesday night. The car was located by sheriff’s deputies who went to the area in response to tips received by Detective Joe Lopez of the Costa Mesa Police Department.

“No arrests have been made in this incident and no other items that were stolen have been recovered,” police announced on Twitter. “We thank the public for reporting sightings which assisted in the recovery of the vehicle. We also thank the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for locating the vehicle.”

The classic car was stolen sometime between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning from a “commercial business” in the 1100 block of Victoria Street, police said. Also stolen were a pair of electric guitars and an amplifier.

The estimated loss of the stolen items was about $48,000, according to Roxi Fyad, a Costa Mesa police spokeswoman. The guitars stolen were a burnt orange-colored Aria Pro II V and a champagne-colored Roland G-707, Fyad said.

Armstrong had publicized the theft over the weekend, posting photos on his Twitter page and writing, “This car is near and dear to all our hearts and has been in the GD family for over 30 years. Please send any sighting, tips or info to the Costa Mesa police.”

Anyone with additional information about the theft or the location of the stolen guitars and amps was asked to contact Lopez at 714-754-4873.