Police release CCTV of man they want to speak to over stolen £250,000 violin

30 October 2019, 18:39

A man is being sought by police over the theft of a 310-year-old violin worth £250,000 which was taken from the luggage rack of a train.

Musician Stephen Morris was on the London to Orpington service on 10.58PM on 22 October when he left the train with his bike but forgot his antique violin.

It is one of only a few made by David Tecchler in 1709 and is worth over £250,000.

British Transport Police said that as the train approached Bromley South "another man took the violin and left the train" before boarding a connecting train.

Mr Morris had been due to play the violin while leading the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in two Andrea Boccelli concerts on the weekend.

He has urged anyone who finds the violin, which he described as "a piece of history", to "please return it".

"It's devastating to lose it and quite apart from its value, it's my livelihood," he said.

"I was really only its custodian, one of many people who have played it, and I had hoped to pass it on to another violinist eventually."

British Transport Police has released a CCTV image of a man that they would like to speak to.

Anyone who can identify the suspect or has seen the violin, which was in a white case, can contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 1900092343.