Reward offered after theft of ^1 million antique violin - Euston (29/11/2010)

[whole diary]

[Phil]

Default setting for journalists perhaps?

    

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) press release:

THREE PEOPLE ARRESTED AND CHARGED AS DETECTIVES CONTINUE HUNT FOR ^1M ANTIQUE VIOLIN ^ EUSTON

British Transport Police (BTP) detectives have arrested and charged a man and two teenagers following the theft of a ^1.2 million antique violin at Euston station in November.

Investigators are also continuing to appeal for information regarding the whereabouts of the 300-year-old Antonio Stradivarius violin.

Following a previous public appeal for information, including on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Crimewatch, detectives have now arrested and charged John Michael Maughan (30), of no fixed abode, in connection with the theft.

Also arrested and charged were two boys aged 16 and 14, from Tottenham, North London, and who cannot be named for legal reasons.

All three appeared at West London Magistrates Court this morning, Thursday, 22 December.

John Maughan was remanded in custody while the two teenagers were released on court bail. All three will next appear at West London Magistrates on Thursday, 22 January.

Detective Inspector Andy Rose, the investigating officer, said the incident took place around 8.30pm on Monday, 29 November:

^The victim arrived at Euston with her violin before stopping to get something to eat at the Pret A Manger caf^ outside the station,^ said DI Rose. ^Around 9pm, she noticed her black, rectangular violin case had been taken and immediately called police.^

Contained within the case was a 1696 Antonio Stradivarius antique violin, valued at approximately ^1.2 million. Also in the case were a Peccatte bow, valued at ^62,000, and another bow made by the School of Bazin, valued at more than ^5,000.

Investigating officers are continuing to appeal for information about the whereabouts of the items and there remains a ^15,000 reward, issued by Lark Insurance Broking Group and certain Underwriters at Lloyd^s, representing the victim of the theft, for information leading to their safe recovery.

DI Rose added: "We are continuing to follow a number of leads as part of our investigation into this theft, have spoken with a number of people who were at Euston station at the time and examined CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele-Vision) footage. The chief focus of our investigation remains to get these very precious items returned. Although they are extremely valuable, I want to stress that their sell-on value, in monetary terms, is practically nil because they are so unique. It would be very easy for an arts or antiques dealer to recognise them as stolen property, meaning they couldn^t be sold for anything near to their true value.

"Our enquiries currently lead us to believe the items could be held within the travelling community and it is also possible that they will be offered for sale within the antique or musical trade, either in England or in Ireland. I appeal to those who have these items, or anyone who has any knowledge of their whereabouts, to come forward so they can be returned to their rightful owner."

Anyone with information should contact BTP on Freefone 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference B9/LNA of 23/12/10. Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

[JayMac]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Man jailed for Stradivarius violin theft at Euston

A man has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for stealing a ^1.2m Stradivarius violin at Euston station.

John Michael Maughan, 30, of no fixed address, and two boys, aged 15 and 16, took the instrument from a Korean-born classical musician, Min-Jin Kym.

The 16-year-old was detained for 10 months. The younger boy will be sentenced at a later date.

Maughan and the boys, from Tottenham, admitted to the theft at Blackfriars Crown Court in March.

The case containing the 1696 antique violin, a ^62,000 Peccatte bow and another bow worth ^5,000, were taken on 29 November 2010 when their 32-year-old owner stopped to eat at a cafe outside the central London station.

They have not been recovered.

'Low resale value'

Following the sentencing a spokesperson for Ms Kym said: "Ms Kym has suffered greatly from the theft of her beloved violin on a personal level and naturally it has also affected her professionally."

The court heard the thieves were spotted in an internet cafe in Tottenham, north London, trying to sell the violin to a man sitting next to them for ^100.

Maughan has 123 previous offences against his name.

British Transport Police said the violin would be almost impossible to resell because it has several unique marks and a unique chin rest.

Det Insp Andy Rose said: "The recovery and return of these extremely precious items remains the chief focus of our investigation, with the reward for their return now up to ^30,000. This case is far from closed.

"Although the items are extremely valuable, I want to re-emphasise that their sell-on value, in monetary terms, is low because they are unique.

"It would be very easy for an arts and antiques or instrument dealer to recognise them as stolen property.

"We believe the items could still be held within the travelling community and it is also possible they will be offered for sale within the antique or musical trade, either in England or in Ireland."

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Telegraph:

^1.2 million Stradivarius violin stolen from railway caf^ may have turned up in Bulgaria

A ^1.2 million Stradivarius violin which was stolen from a world-famous musician as she stopped for a sandwich at a station may have been found in Bulgaria.

The 315-year-old instrument was taken from internationally acclaimed violinist Min-Jin Kym as she ate in Pret a Manger with her cellist boyfriend in Euston station in 2010. The violin, along with a Peccatte bow worth ^62,000, was swiped from the floor by Irish traveller John Maughan ^ working with two teenage accomplices ^ while Ms Kym was on the phone.

Despite researching the violin online, Maughan, 41, was so ignorant of its value that he offered it to a stranger in an internet caf^ for just ^100. But the man turned down the offer claiming that his daughter already owned a recorder.

Maughan was jailed for four and a half years at Blackfriars Crown Court in 2011 for stealing the 1698 violin ^ one of only 450 in the world. But now police believe the violin may have turned up in Bulgaria after undercover detectives were offered a Stradivarius for ^250,000 from an alleged gipsy crime boss.

Only three of the rare violins are known to be missing and police say there is a strong possibility it is the one that disappeared from Euston.

The British Transport Police confirmed they were investigating whether the violin belongs to Ms Kym. A spokeswoman said: "We're trying to establish with the underwriters and international colleagues the instrument's background."

Ms Kym, who is signed to record label Sony BMG, began playing the violin at the age of six and made her international debut with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra when she was 13. At 16, she became the youngest student ever to be awarded a Foundation Scholarship at the Royal College of Music and went on to study with the violin virtuoso Ruggiero Ricci who said she was ^the most talented violinist I have ever worked with^. She has also played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

During Maughan's trial prosecutor Mark James-Dawson said the violin represented Ms Kym's life savings. He said: "This isn't a female with a monumental amount of money. This is her life, her profession. She is one of the top violinists in the world and she has this instead of a house, instead of a car and she gets to a violin of this value by trading up as one would a mortgage as she's become more successful"

[JayMac]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

'Incredible elation' after rare ^1.2m violin found

A violinist says she has "an incredible feeling of elation" after her stolen 300-year-old violin was recovered.

The ^1.2m Stradivarius violin was taken from Min-Jin Kym more than two years ago when she was in a sandwich shop near Euston Station in north London.

British Transport Police said the instrument had been recovered from a property in the Midlands last week.

It was intact with some very minor damage, police said.

'Part of identity'

Ms Kym, an internationally-renowned violinist said: "I still can't believe it."

She said: "Every moment of the day - even when I was sleeping - the loss of the instrument, the feeling of responsibility, was there. This had been the instrument I had been playing on since I was a teenager so it was a huge part of my identity for many years. Obviously it was devastating."

She added that she now felt "an incredible feeling of elation".

"I'm still feeling the butterflies in my stomach," she said.

The 2010 theft featured in a BBC Crimewatch appeal and a man and two teenagers were convicted in 2011.

But the violin, along with a ^62,000 Peccatte bow and a bow made by the School of Bazin, valued at over ^5,000, were not recovered.

Police had thought a violin recovered in Bulgaria in March could have been the missing instrument, but an expert said it was a replica.

Det Ch Insp Simon Taylor, who led the hunt, said he was "absolutely delighted".

He said: "I always maintained that its [the violin's] rarity and distinctiveness would make any attempt to sell it extremely difficult, if not futile, because established arts and antiques dealers would easily recognise it as stolen property."

The violin has been returned to Lark Insurance Broking Group which paid out after the theft but discussions are underway for it to be returned to Ms Kym soon, said a police spokesman.