A manhunt has been launched after a 285-year-old violin belonging to a member of the London Philharmonic Orchestra was stolen from a London pub.
Scotland Yard released CCTV footage to try to and identify a suspect in the alleged theft of the ‘priceless’ instrument from The Marquess Tavern on Canonbury Street, Islington.
Violinist David López Ibáñez, 30, told police it was worth more than £150,000 and was a loan for major concerts with the Philharmonia.
The footage captured the moment a man with a light-coloured hat on allegedly snatches the violin in its black case from the north London boozer on February 18.
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The treasured violin was made by Florentine instrument maker Lorenzo Carcassi in 1740.
It has a distinctive heart-shaped hole in the scroll and was kept in a black Riboni Unoeotto case, alongside three bows – including one with a mother-of-pearl tip – as well as white cotton bag made by David’s late grandmother.
David, originally from Spain, previously told Metro the ‘rare’ instrument they had played for eight years was ‘worthless’ to the thief, but ‘priceless’ to them.
‘Instantly I felt like a part of me was gone,’ they said.
‘As a musician you have such a special bond with your instrument. It is a companion, it comes with you on your back all around the world.’
They added: ‘I moved to the UK to pursue a childhood dream of becoming a violinist and now my voice has been taken away from me.
‘The violin sounds so in tune with me. I am so in tune with it. I feel like my life has been torn apart. I cannot fall asleep.’
They said the loss was the ‘stuff of nightmares’.
‘There is nothing which could compare to this. This is up there with one of the worst things that can happen.’
David has played the violin at London’s most well-known concert venues, including Wigmore Hall, the Royal Festival Hall and Conway Hall.
After the theft, the violinist has been forced to use a spare instrument in some performances.
PC Michael Collins, from the Met’s local policing team in Camden, told Metro: ‘We’ve been working hard to try and locate the suspect and are releasing this CCTV in an effort to help identify them as soon as possible.’
He added: ‘It is incredibly precious, and for the victim, it’s priceless.
‘Please help us find the person responsible and have the violin returned to its rightful owner.’
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