The legendary songwriter, guitarist and singer Tom Petty sadly passed away in 2017 at the age of 66 and was one of the most successful artists of all time with an estimate amount of more than 80 million records sold worldwide.
Now, almost six years after his death the family of the late artist said they will sue an auctioneer who is selling allegedly stolen items. They released an statement on the artist’s social networks explaining the case.
The family of Tom Petty will sue auctioneer who is selling allegedly stolen items
“The family of Tom Petty is pursuing swift legal action against RR Auction house. The house has announced a current auction of personal property of Petty’s that the entire family firmly believes has been outright stolen from a secured archive based on prior knowledge, staff observations and documentation.”
“The family is pursuing all available legal action for the immediate return of these items, and they ask that fans and collectors refrain from participating in this auction until the matter is settled to avoid getting further involved in this legal action.”
The statement continued:
“We believe RR Auction, headquartered in Boston, is offering stolen Tom Petty memorabilia with a completely false provenance inaccurate to fact and in complete denial of clear evidence they have been presented. They will not disclose the cosigner who has provided these items or how they were acquired. But they are clearly stolen, there is no other word for it.”
“The missing articles include the personal items and items from the professional career of their beloved Tom Petty —all with an established provenance in the Petty family’s secure storage —which include jackets, hats, vests, boots, shirts, shoes, autographed items and recent exclusive limited editions easily traced back to family members and more. “These items have irreplaceable sentimental and educational value for the family and legacy of Tom Petty and we look forward to their safe return,” Tom Petty’s family said.