A rare Stradivarius violin that is worth millions and is 300-years-old, was stolen Monday night in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concertmaster and violinist Frank Almond had the violin stolen from him and police are currently investigating, reports WISN. He performed at Wisconsin Lutheran College and while on his way home, he was tasered by an individual. He then dropped the violin and the thief made off with it, police said.
Reuters reports that the thief jumped into a car, which was then driven off by another suspect. Police found Almond’s violin case and his iPad dumped on a street.
Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said that they believe the violin was the target, as they can sell for anywhere between $5 million and $10 million. Almond’s violin was made in 1715. It is one of around 600 made by Italian maker Antonio Stradivari that still survive.
“This violin is very valuable, but very valuable to a very small population,” Fylnn said. “This is not something that can be easily sold for even a fraction of its monetary value.”
Milwaukee police have contacted the FBI’s high-art division and Interpol.
“We are just glad that Frank is OK,” Matthew Borkowski of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music told WISN. “The musical heritage of this town is not in our instruments, it's in our players.”
image: Wikimedia Commons
