Lost 1694 Grancino Violin Recovered by Los Angeles Police 

The violin worth $650k was reported stolen from a University of Southern California graduate music student earlier this April

A Milanese 1694 Giovanni Grancino violin has been recovered after having been stolen from the University of Southern California (USC) on April 2, 2025. A suspect has since been charged and arrested. 

Worth $650,000, the 331-year-old violin appeared unharmed, said detective Stephanie Gutierrez, who led the investigation. Aspecialist paid for by a private party will be inspecting the violin to confirm its condition.

Police allege that the suspect followed a USC graduate student into the music department on the day of the theft. He allegedly took the instrument in its case when it was unattended by the student, who had put it down after practicing to study. 

Gutierrez said the violin had been on loan from private owners in LA to a music shop in Koreatown, where it was borrowed by the student.

“I’m a history person, and when I heard this (violin) was from 1694, I just said, ‘They can’t replace this’ and it needs to be found,” Gutierrez told the LA Times. “I told the owners that, honestly, the violin was probably sold immediately and finding the suspect would be difficult. I was shocked the violin was still in the vicinity, and I’m so happy we found it.”