This article is more than 10 months old

This article is more than 10 months old

A 310-year-old violin left behind by its owner on a train’s luggage rack has been stolen, according to police.

Stephen Morris left the instrument worth £250,000 on a London Victoria to Orpington train when he got off at Penge, south-east London, last Tuesday evening. He had appealed to the public for help, saying losing it was “like having my arm cut off”.

After examining CCTV footage from the journey, British Transport Police said another man took the violin as the train, which had left Victoria at 11.58pm, approached Bromley South, before getting on to another train to St Mary Cray.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest CCTV image of a man police would like to speak to. Photograph: British Transport Police/PA

The force has released a CCTV image of a man they would like to speak to about the missing instrument.

The instrument, which dates to 1709, was one of only a few made by David Tecchler, a master craftsman considered to be the leading violin and cello maker of the renowned Roman school of violin making.

The recently restored violin was in a white case when Morris left it on the train. It is marked with Tecchler’s name inside.

Morris has led a number of UK orchestras and performed as a soloist alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, and as a guest soloist director with the Scottish Ensemble and Locrian Ensemble. As a session musician he has recorded with James Brown, Stevie Wonder, David Gilmour and U2.