THIEVES stole two instruments belonging to an orchestra that was due to play in South Tyneside.
The European Orchestra Ensemble were at the Customs House in South Shields on Saturday night to perform the Viennese Strauss Gala.
But at 4.45pm, before the show, a cello and violin were stolen from the Mill Dam venue by a sneak thief.
The suspect was caught on CCTV and is described as while and wearing a black three-quarter hooded coat, grey tracksuit bottoms with a black stripe down the leg and white trainers.
The violin is described as a rare Lorenz Neudorf 1878. It was in a black, hard, long case with a sky blue interior. It also had two Fretschner bows.
The Muller cello was inside a black material case and also had a bow.