Seller wanted £50 for Krysia’s stolen £200,000 Gofriller
mainThe London violinist Krysia Osostowicz, who got her precious violin back within a day after it was stolen, has posted a note of thanks to all who helped in the search:
Dear Friends,
for those of you who haven’t already heard, I’m thrilled to report that my violin has been recovered! A woman took it in to sell at Cash Converters in Streatham, where the wonderful manager recognised it from my description and called the police. Now my fiddle is still being held at Brixton Police station as an item of evidence; I really hope to get it back today.
I want to thank you so much for all your kind messages over the past couple of days; it’s been amazing and touching to get so much moral support. Please share this message, and thank you!
Krysia x
It appears Krysia dropped off ‘missing’ leaflets at local secondhand shops and an alert assistant in Streatham High Road recognised the violin case from her description, phoning her when the ‘seller’ was unable to unlock it.
A woman, 36, is being held in custody on suspicion of handling stolen goods.
I find it heartening that a cashier in Streatham is so alert and informed about a violin. But we had a Cash Converters in my area a few years ago — I bought a great deal there and sold a few things. I was very impressed with their checking on items you were selling. Itis good to see their standard is maintained, and their training apparently good and their staff willing. Could do with a lot more of that.
I hope the staffer feels the well-deserved pride in an important job well done. And of course I am very pleased for Ms. Osostowicz. I think at the very least a couple of comps to a forthcoming concert might be offered…
Unfortunately I’ve had a much nastier experience with Cash Converters. I once had my Besson Sovereign Bass Trombone stolen from my house during a burglary. After contacting the local music shops, I soon had a phone call to say one of them had had a phone call FROM cash converters trying to sell my trombone to them. After going to the shop, I then had to pay them the £70 they’d paid for it to get it back OR be faced with it being taken into evidence and not getting it back until the case was concluded, which could have been, and indeed was, months later by the time i got back the other items that were recovered from the thieves property
Well I would say your are in the ‘fortunate’ section of the unfortunate people. In the case of the article, it appears that Cash Converter has not paid for the violin since it was not able to be removed to be ecamined, well in your case the trombone has been paid for.