The thieves struck at a Pret a Manger café outside Euston station on 29 November 2010 as violinist Min-Jin Kym stopped to get something to eat. After three years of chasing leads, police found the instrument, undamaged, in the Midlands – but not before the thieves tried to sell the instrument for £100 in an internet café. At the time of theft news reports valued the violin at £1.2 million. Online bidding at Tarisio auction house started £1 million, and although the final price was expected to reach around £2 million, the violin was sold for £1,385,000. A portion of the proceeds and sales commission will benefit the authorities who will help recover the violin.