Sour note in Allston: Somebody steals a $70,000 viola
By adamg on Wed, 08/30/2023 - 9:05am
Boston Police report they are looking for a viola stolen from an address on Glenville Avenue in Allston sometime between 2 a.m. and 3:50 p.m. on Sunday.
The Viola is described as 16.5 inches long, valued at approximately $70,000 and stored inside a black BAM Black Panther HighTech case valued at $1,300 with two Boston University stickers, and a Vivant Vintage sticker.
If somebody offers you a fancy looking viola in a case adorned with BU stickers, contact detectives at 617-343-4256 or the anonymous tip line by calling 800-494-TIPS or by texting TIP to CRIME (27463).
Neighborhoods:
Topics:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Comments
70k
I haven't bought a non-electronic instrument since I was in elementary school but are these just that expensive?
70k seems like a lot.
It’s expensive but not too
It’s expensive but not too out of the ordinary for a really fine string instrument, especially if it’s used professionally.
Yes
Given the stickers I'm guessing this person is a professional player or at least someone who was spending $$$ to attend a conservatory and therefor was going to have a high level instrument.
An instrument isn't the sort of thing you can just leave in a vault. (At least not if you want to be considered a master.)
entry level
$70k is about entry level for a serious professional string player
it’s crazy but true
wow
That is crazy.
Thanks all for replying. I truly wasn't being snarky.. the estimated price just took the air out of me. Wow.
Yeah I'd be beyond upset if it was stolen then.
Unstrung
There was a wonderful memoir written a few years back by Min Kym about her experience (as a professional violinist) having her (really expensive) violin stolen:
https://www.npr.org/2017/05/07/526924474/her-violin-stolen-a-prodigys-wo...
If it was a violin, and not a viola,
it would be worth six figures at least. :-)
Here is a TIP: don't leave
Here is a TIP: don't leave your musical instruments out on the street by the dumpsters late at night.
Here's a tip
Edit: I guess the person really did leave their instrument unattended. I'm guessing there's more to the story.
I stand by my fuck off comment.
Fuck off.
Do you work for the city?
Do you work for the city?
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/08/29/metro/viola-allegedly-stolen-tune...
Wow, thanks for the link.
Wow, thanks for the link. They left this along with a credit card, iPad pro, passport, and luggage outside behind the building overnight, unattended. I've lost my sympathy for this person.
was the person asking for sympathy?
or did they want help getting their stuff back?
Why would they ask me for
Why would they ask me for anything? I have nothing to do with it, along with virtually everyone who reads this article or comments on it. I do think it's noteworthy that someone in possession of something more expensive than what most of us can afford would be so negligent.
It happens to the best
The time Yo-Yo Ma left his Stradivarius cello in the back of a New York cab...