The five guitars - which included Petty's 1967, 12-string Rickenbacker made of maple - were reported stolen on Thursday from a sound studio in Culver City, west of Los Angeles, and the band announced it would pay a $7,500 reward for information leading to their recovery.
Daryl Washington, a 51-year-old security guard at the studio, was arrested on Monday and booked on suspicion of grand theft, police said.
Detectives got a tip one of the guitars was sold to a Hollywood pawn shop, police said.
"I am extremely grateful to the Culver City Police Department for a job well done and touched by the outpouring of good wishes and concern from our fans and friends," Petty wrote on his Facebook page.
It was not immediately clear if anyone would collect the $7,500 no-questions asked reward for the return of the guitars.
(Reporting By Alex Dobuzinskis, Editing by Jill Serjeant)
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