New details have emerged in the case of Joey Gaydos Jr., the School of Rock star arrested for a rash of guitar robberies.
Gaydos Jr. was arrested in Florida last month for allegedly stealing three expensive guitars from retailers. An early report by TMZ said that he had also made off with an amplifier, though on Wednesday, law enforcement sources clarified that Gaydos Jr. actually stole amps from his father.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Gaydos Jr. reportedly made off with two amplifiers owned by his father, intending to sell them at a pawn shop. The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office even said that it was Gaydos Jr.’s father who called to report him. He told police that he was fairly certain it was his son who had stolen the speakers.
Arrest details allege he robbed his father in the past, though he not reported them being stolen. His father said that he has hoped to make amends without police intervention and steer his son toward getting help.
The report from TMZ claims Gaydos Jr. also pawned the two amps, which were valued at $2,100. He asserts that he did the same with the three guitars, which he took from music shops where he would ask to “test” the instruments, then simply rush out the door. The guitars were valued at $699, $800 and $1,900.
Gaydos Jr. supposedly confessed to all the robberies at the time of his arrest. He told police that he was driven to steal by a crippling drug addiction, and he wants to seek treatment. However, in court he pleaded not guilty.
Police even released security footage showing Gaydos Jr.’s mad dash out of a store with one of his stolen guitars. The actor can be seen strolling around the store with a fender stratocaster in hand, looking around as if he is shopping, then simply walking out the front door.
Gaydos Jr. is best known for portraying Zack Mooneyham, the lead guitarist in Jack Black‘s band of schoolchildren in School of Rock. The movie was Gaydos Jr.’s only credit as an actor. In the years that followed, he pursued a career as a rock musician, releasing albums with various bands and trying to capitalize on the film’s success.
In 2009, Gaydos Jr. was arrested for driving under the influence while underage. The guitarist has a history of issues with substance abuse, and it sounds like his latest arrest has him ready to seek help.
