Over the weekend, the auction house RR Auction put a collection of Tom Petty memorabilia up for bid. As recounted by TMZ, they were sourced from “his former home in Encino, CA” and feature a bunch of wardrobe items, including a black denim jacket from the 1987 Guns N’ Roses tour, a striped jacket he wore on the cover of the “Listen To Her Heart” UK single, and many more pieces of apparel, as well as a number of signed posters and vinyl.
Today, the Tom Petty family has announced that its pursuing legal action against RR Auction, claiming that they believe the items involved in the auction have been stolen. “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,” reads a statement from the family provided in a press release. “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.”
“These items have irreplaceable sentimental and educational value for the family and legacy of Tom Petty and we look forward to their safe return,” the statement concludes.
Bidding for the memorabilia has already begun and is currently scheduled to end on June 22.
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