Dover – On October 14th, Dave Nickolson was playing a small gig at 33 West, a popular dining and entertainment location in Downtown Dover. When he walked out to his car that night, something was missing.
Shortly after his performance, his car was broken into and his iconic green Schecter Diamond Series acoustic guitar has been 
stolen, along with numerous handwritten song lyrics. They notified the Dover Police Department who began to investigate the case. Within a day, Dave and his wife, Kathy, posted pictures of the guitar on social media and they quickly went viral. The post was shared thousands of times and viewed by even more as Dover Police detectives continued to work the case.
Meanwhile, Dave Nickolson was reconsidering his passion for music. The guitar was purchased for him by his mother nearly ten years prior and had a lot of sentimental value. With his favorite instrument now gone, Dave found himself losing his passion for the music he enjoys performing. On October 18th, the Dover Police Department said they identified a suspect in the case and obtained warrants for his arrest. Later that day, a Dover Police detective met with Dave and returned his guitar, which was found at a local pawn shop earlier in the day as well.
Dave and Kathy Nickolson were ecstatic to get the guitar back and Dave’s passion for music was immediately re-ignited. That is when the couple decided to pay it forward by holding a music event, “Play it Back.” The Play it Back event was held on November 19th at 
Bubba’s in Dover and featured four local bands: Chill and the Rabbits, Chainbreak, and Dave’s bands Sporadic Static and Perception. The couple partnered with several local businesses to get donations for raffles and silent auction items and charged a $10 cover at the door, with all proceeds going to the Dover Police Holiday Heroes program. This program raises money each Christmas season to allow officers from the police department to take local children shopping for Christmas. The Play it Back benefit raised $1,307.00 for the benefit, helping the Dover Police Department exceed their original goal of $4,000. The event was well attended and the couple plans to “Play it Back” in 2017 and beyond, using their passion for music to benefit children and families in need in the Dover community, while showing their support for the Dover Police Department.
Local Businesses and Organizations Pay it Forward
In addition to the Play It Back benefit concert, several local businesses and organizations have stepped up to support the Dover Police Holiday Heroes program. As of November 29th, 2016, the department has raised nearly $7600 for the 2016 program thanks to the following businesses and organizations:
It’s All Good in Delaware $1,500
Del Rods $500
The Depot $2,000
First State Martial Arts $500
Online and In-Person Donations $3,078
Without the support from the community, this program would not be possible. The Dover Police Department thanks each donor for their incredible support of our agency and this excellent program. We look forward to providing an amazing experience for children in our community and helping families in need this Christmas season.
Image Credits: Dover Police