A rare 18th century violin worth £140,000 has been stolen during a burglary at a flat.
The instrument, a Nicola Gagliano dating back to 1747, is possibly one of only three in the world. The 31-year-old owner of the flat returned to his home in Erlanger Road, New Cross, south east London on Wednesday night to find that the main communal door had been forced open.
Various rooms were searched and a number of items were taken including the violin, which was in a brown rectangular case with two straps. The man, who did not want to be named, said his flatmate had been loaned the valuable instrument.
A rare 18th century violin worth £140,000 has been stolen during a burglary at a flat, police said.
The instrument, a Nicola Gagliano dating back to 1747, is possibly one of only three in the world.
The 31-year-old owner of the flat returned to his home in Erlanger Road, New Cross, south east London, at 10.45pm last night to find that the main communal door had been forced open along with his own front door.
Various rooms were searched and a number of items taken including the violin.
Police are appealing after a £2,500 violin was stolen from a Jubilee line train.
The violin belonged to a 42 year-old musician from Motspur Park who was returning home after performing at a London theatre and boarded the train at Stratford at around 11.45pm on Friday 20th July.
He had four bags with him, including the violin. When he got off the train at Waterloo, just after midnight, he noticed his violin was missing.
Detective Constable Andy Jordan said: “Not only is the violin of considerable financial value but it was also of great sentimental value.
The victim has had the 1880’s violin for 30 years, since he was just 12 years-old. He had described knowing the violin so well, it had become like a good friend.”
The violin is full-sized from a German school from the late 19th century, with the label 'Percy Lee 1936'. It is golden in colour with a wide-striped two-piece backplane with a rippled dent near to the bottom. The tuning peg for the E-string is different to the other pegs.
There was a bow in the case, an octagonal stick with silver winding and leather at the handle.
Anyone with information should contact British Transport Police on freefone 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference B5/LUA of 13/09/12.
