(Reuters) — A Stradivarius violin worth millions of dollars, which was stolen from a concert violinist in an armed robbery in January and recovered by the police less than a week ago was back being used during a performance of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra on Monday (February 10).
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Frank Almond played his famous Stradivarius violin at the concert in the Brookfield auditorium where he was received by the public with a standing ovation, NBC News reported.
The 300-year-old instrument was held at the city’s police headquarters and returned to its owners after it was inspected by experts, Milwaukee officials said.
Two Wisconsin men were charged on February 7 with stealing a rare Stradivarius violin worth millions of dollars from a concert violinist in late January, prosecutors said.
The violin, which was made in 1715 and had an appraised value of $5 million for insurance purposes, was recovered from a Milwaukee residence, where it had been stored in a suitcase in the attic.
Salah Jones, 41, and Universal Knowledge Allah, 36, were charged with felony robbery and Allah was also charged with marijuana possession.
The thieves took the violin after incapacitating concert musician Frank Almond with a stun gun as he left a concert in suburban Milwaukee, authorities said.
The so-called Lipinski Stradivarius had been on loan indefinitely to Almond from a private owner. It is one of roughly 600 violins, violas and cellos still in existence that were built by the famed Italian artisan Antonio Stradivari.
Bond was set at $10,000 for Jones and at $500 for Universal Knowledge Allahduring appearances on Friday (February 7) afternoon in Milwaukee County District Court.