Baroque Violin and Bow Stolen from Apollo's Fire Concertmaster

Alan Choo is offering a $2000 no-questions-asked cash reward for the return of his 2018 Viseltear baroque violin and Louis Begin baroque bow, which were last seen in a blue BAM case

A reward is being offered for the return of a baroque violin and bow stolen in Cleveland on Friday, March 1, 2024. The instrument belongs to Alan Choo, the concertmaster of the baroque ensemble Apollo's Fire.

The violin and bow were stolen during a rehearsal break, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights. A backpack containing personal items was also taken, and Choo was able to trace the location of his AirPods as far as Taylor Road and Superior Avenue — but sadly this was not enough to locate the violin.

The stolen instrument is a 2018 Viseltear baroque violin, which is accompanied by a Louis Begin baroque bow. Both items were kept in a blue BAM contoured case.

Choo does not intend to press charges and is willing to accept the instrument in an anonymous handoff — with a cash reward of $2,000. If you have any information pertaining to the whereabouts of the violin and bow, please contact Choo at 216-536-9852.

"We made a police report and a couple of us went over to that location trying to just look around, but we just couldn’t find anything," Choo said.

"I’m sure there are reasons in his or her life leading up to the moment of the crime," he added. "I am totally empathetic and understanding of that. And I just want him or her to get the instrument back to me because it’s something that means so much to me."

"This violin has been such a major part of my career and I would be sad to not play on it again."