Bring it on!
A thief stole a rare 18th-century violin said to be worth more than $ 700,000 in California – and he may not even know it, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The 1710 curly maple and alpine spruce instrument – built by Hieronymus Amati II, one of the most famous violin makers in history – was in art dealer Rowland Weinstein’s car, which was stolen from his LA hometown on Dec. 8, according to the report.
The art dealer said he was moving the violin from an earlier location he believed was not safe enough when he accidentally left his white Tesla unlocked for a moment while entering his home. When he returned from the inside, the car and prized possession were gone.
An FBI spokesman, Laura Eimiller, told the paper that the agency has no clues in the case.
“According to LAPD, there would have been a car thief in the area,” Eimiller said. “It is possible that the person who stole it does not know its value and has not discovered it [later] and may try to pawn it or sell it overseas. Thus, it is critical to make the information public so that hopefully someone who has received or is offered the information can identify it and return it to its rightful owner. “
Weinstein is offering a $ 25,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of the violin.
“I am responsible for a piece of history and that piece of history has escaped me,” Weinstein told the outlet. ‘It’s so fragile. My biggest fear is that someone who doesn’t know what he has will put it in the wrong environment and it will be damaged or destroyed. “
Weinstein bought the violin in October 2013 for $ 507,436 from online auction house Tarisio. The auction house director says the instrument’s value would likely rise to $ 700,000 – $ 900,000 today, according to the LA Times.
The gallery owner told the paper that he does not play the violin, but lets musician friends and professionals play the 310-year-old instrument, which is in excellent condition.
“I feel extremely close to it because it’s a part of history that has touched so many lives. Not just the lives of people who have been lucky enough to play it, but those who have heard it for more than 300 years, ”Weinstein reportedly said.
Weinstein has been the target of thieves before.
In 2011, a 1965 Pablo Picasso pencil drawing, “Tête de Femme”, was stolen from his San Francisco gallery by a Hoboken man who casually walked out of the gallery carrying the art under a newspaper. The suspect was later arrested and the art was recovered.
Experts say there is reason to be optimistic in this case too.
“This does not appear to be a planned theft, it appears to be an opportunity crime based on the facts, so it may still be in Los Angeles, possibly at someone’s home,” Berkeley Law teacher and violin maker Carla Shapreau told the paper. .
“When a theft is planned, there is often a customer for it. When someone sees a car unlocked, they are more likely to try to pass [an item found inside] local. But it would be difficult to convey this in the trade flow, especially if there is a lot of publicity about it. ”