John Lennon’s Stolen Belongings Recovered in Berlin

Around a hundred items that belonged to John Lennon and were stolen from Yoko Ono’s home in New York in 2006 have finally been recovered. The Associated Press reports that the treasure trove of the late Beatles star’s memorabilia was retrieved in Berlin when the bankruptcy administrator of an auction house contacted German authorities about serendipitously finding the items in the company’s storage in July.

The police and prosecutors met with Ono in New York to verify the authenticity of the stolen items. “She was very emotional and we noticed clearly how much these things mean to her and how happy she would be to have them back,” prosecutor Susann Wettley told the AP. The investigation is ongoing, so it is unclear when Ono will regain possession of the items.

Police have arrested a 58-year-old suspect in connection to the crime. Upon searching his Berlin home and car, they found more of Lennon’s possessions in a briefcase hidden under the spare tire in the trunk. Another suspect, Ono’s former driver, is currently living in Turkey and remains at large.

The relics range from classic band ephemera, like a recording of a Beatles concert in 1965, to extremely personal possessions, debatably more personal than a lock of his hair, such as the legend’s diaries from 1975, 1979 and 1980—the last entry was made a few hours before he was assassinated on Dec. 8, 1980. Other items retrieved were his signature circular glasses, a handwritten musical score and a cigarette case.

Below, listen to a John Lennon performance of “Imagine” circa 1972 and an interview with him from September 1980, just a few months before his death.