Pawn Shop Buys Rare $200,000 Stolen Violin For Only $50

SOMERVILLE (CBS) - A Somerville pawn shop bought a rare $200,000 violin for only $50.

LBC Boutique says someone pawned the Gagliano violin made in 1759 last week. As part of its policy, the shop didn't immediately put it up for sale.

It was holding onto it for 30 days when the owner learned it was stolen. Police explained it had been taken from a local family.

LBC employee Dylan McDermitt says he was surprised when police called. "It was great I didn't think anything of it," McDermitt said. "We put it in storage and then we got a call from the police department today and they say 'hey Dylan check out your inventory we need to check this violin' and then they sent a whole bunch of documents."

To go along with the $200,000 violin, the two bows that came with it are worth $20,000 each.

The shop expects Somerville Police to pick up the violin on Friday.