Man Faces 15 Years In Prison Milwaukee For Stradivarius Violin Theft And Tasering

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 6, 2014 2:35PM

Frank Almond (left) is shown playing the "Lipinski" Stradivarius with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. (Photo courtesy Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)

One of two men charged in the robbery of a rare, 300-year-old Stradivarius violin in Milwaukee last January pleaded guilty last Friday.

Salah Salahaydn (aka Salah Jones), 42, faces up to 15 years in prison for the crime. Salahaydn and Universal Knowledge Allah, 37, used a taser to incapacitate violinist Frank Almond, a member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and got away with the rare “Lipinski” Stradivarius, insured for $5 million. Police were able to crack the case through tips and information provided by Taser International about the stun gun used to incapacitate Almond. According to a criminal complaint, Salahaydn said stealing the Stradivarius “was his dream theft,” although selling it would have been next to impossible due to its rarity. Milwaukee police, working with Interpol and the FBI, recovered the violin nine days after the theft.

Salahaydn apparently has a penchant for stealing rare art and collectibles. Twenty years ago he stole a $23,000 sculpture from a gallery in Milwaukee’s Pfister Hotel and was caught when he tried to sell the piece back to the gallery four years later. Universal Knowledge Allah pleaded guilty earlier and was sentenced in July to 3-1/2 years in prison and 3-1/2 years in extended supervision for being a party to the crime.