Rare violin worth £140,000 stolen in burglary The Nicola Gagliano, which was made in 1747, is thought to be one of only three of its type in the world and is worth in excess of £140,000. Robin Hamilton of JP Guivier, England's oldest violin dealers, said instrument thefts were becoming more common as thieves were realising their great value. He said: "The Gagliano family was one of the foremost violin makers of the 17th Century. It was a large family and Nicola was one of the leading members of the family. They are very nice instruments and I know one sold a few years ago for around £120,000. Violin thefts are becoming more common as people realise their value. Years ago thieves would leave violins behind but now they actually target them. They are very difficult to sell however as they are easily identifiable. The stolen violin was in a brown case, rectangular in shape with two straps, and police are appealing for anyone who may be offered the instrument for sale, or who has any information about the break in to contact them.