A Strad Comes Back

Posted by Sarah Canice Funke Jun 8, 2007

On Wednesday, June 6, 2007, Austrian police returned a Stradivarius violin (worth an estimated $3.4 million) to the hands of musician Christian Altenburger. The instrument had been stolen a month earlier, in May. Also taken from Altenburger's safe were three bows and another violin. Because other items, such as alcohol and clothes, were also taken with the instruments, the police were able to rule out contracted theft and turned to more local suspects.

The crime methods resembled those of a gang of Georgians responsible for 21 other burglaries, and when Austrian police arrested five members of the gang in Vienna, the violins and bows were found in their possession. The instruments were returned in good condition to their owner Altenburger.

While violin craftsman Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) made over 1,000 violins during his lifetime, only 650 are said to remain, making each specimen a valuable relic.