Violin Discovered In Bulgaria Could Be £1.2 Million Stolen Stradivarius

A police operation in Bulgaria has uncovered a violin thought to be the Stradivarius stolen from a London train station in 2010. Min-Jim Kym – a classical violinist – had the violin stolen from her whilst she purchased a sandwich at Euston station, London, in November 2010. John Maughan, 30, admitted the theft, but the £1.2 million violin itself was never found.

Now, BBC News reports, British Transport Police are in talks with police in Bulgaria to determine whether or not the violin that they have recovered from the possession of a suspected criminal in Sofia is indeed the 1696 creation that was stolen from Korean-born Kym. A statement read “British Transport Police detectives are aware of the recovery of a violin in Bulgaria and will investigate with insurers, underwriters and international colleagues, whether it is the 1696 Antonio Stradivarius antique violin stolen from a cafe at Euston rail station in November 2010.”

Min-Jim Kym has played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and was due to board a train to Manchester when the violin case was stolen from her, with the violin and two bows inside. Maughan, of no fixed address, was jailed for four years for the theft. Two boys, aged 15 and 16 also admitted the theft in March 2011.