WHAT:
News Conference

WHERE:
Los Angeles Philharmonic Office (In the Khoral Hall)
151 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles

WHEN:
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
1:00 p.m.

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Office will conduct a joint news conference to announce the recovery of a cello. On April 25, 2004, a $3.5 million Stradivarius cello, nicknamed "General Kyd" was stolen from a private residence in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles. The cello is owned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

On May 14, 2004, detectives of LAPD’s Art Theft Detail were contacted by an attorney who stated he represents a person who claims to have found the stolen cello. On May 15, 2004, the detectives met with the attorney and his client, a 29 year-old woman. At this meeting, a cello inside a silver colored case was turned over to the detectives. The cello was in a damaged state.

The woman told the detectives that she found the cello next to a trash dumpster in the Silverlake area of Los Angeles around April 28, 2004. She was not aware of the theft so she took the cello home where it remained until she learned of the theft on May 7, 2004. She then contacted an attorney who notified the Art Theft Detail. The cello has been positively identified as the one stolen on April 25, 2004.

This news advisory was prepared by Public Information Officer Jason Lee, Media Relations Section, at 213-485-3586.