Madour Charged: £150k Violin Stolen Islington Pub 2026

Key Points

• Ahmed Sami Madour, 46, of no fixed address but from Leytonstone in east London, has been charged with two counts of theft.
• He is accused of stealing a £150,000 antique violin, crafted in Florence in 1740 by Lorenzo Carcassi, from violinist David López Ibáñez at the Marquess Tavern on Canonbury Street, Islington, north London, on 18 February 2025.
• The violin was loaned to David López Ibáñez, a second violinist with the Philharmonia Orchestra, for his performances; three bows were also stolen, including one with a mother-of-pearl tip.
• Madour is further accused of stealing a £4,000 guitar on the same day in Hackney.
• The Metropolitan Police reported the violin theft on 18 February 2025 and charged Madour on 19 January 2026; he was arrested on 25 June 2025 on suspicion of theft and released on bail.
• Madour appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court last week, pleaded not guilty to both counts, was granted unconditional bail, and his trial is set for 10 May 2027.
• At the time of the theft, Pc Michael Collins of the Met’s Camden team described the violin as worth more than £150,000 and made in 1740 in Florence.
• David López Ibáñez described the loss as devastating, feeling like “a part of me has been ripped off” and his “voice” stolen after eight years playing it.
• The violin has a distinctive heart-shaped hole in the scroll and was in a black Riboni Unoeotto case.
• Police released an image of a suspect following the theft.

Canonbury, Islington (North London News) March 30, 2026 – Ahmed Sami Madour, a 46-year-old homeless man from Leytonstone, east London, has been charged with stealing a £150,000 antique violin from the Marquess Tavern pub, as confirmed by the Metropolitan Police today.

The incident occurred on 18 February 2025, when the violin—crafted in 1740 in Florence by instrument maker Lorenzo Carcassi—was allegedly taken from professional musician David López Ibáñez while he dined with a friend at the pub on Canonbury Street. Madour faces two theft charges, including a separate £4,000 guitar stolen the same day in Hackney, and pleaded not guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court last week, with his trial scheduled for 10 May 2027. He was released on unconditional bail pending the hearing.

Who is Ahmed Sami Madour and what charges does he face?

Ahmed Sami Madour, aged 46 and of no fixed address but associated with the Leytonstone area of east London, appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court last week following charges announced by the Metropolitan Police on 19 January 2026.

As reported by Rory Tingle and Chris Matthews of the Daily Mail, Madour is accused of swiping the antique instrument from musician David Ibanez as he dined with a friend at the Marquess Tavern in Canonbury Street.

The Metropolitan Police stated:

“The theft of a violin, valued at £150,000, was reported to the Met on Tuesday February 18 2025. It was stolen from the Marquess Tavern, Islington.”

Madour was arrested on Wednesday, 25 June 2025, on suspicion of theft, taken into custody, and later released on bail pending further inquiries, according to the same police statement cited by The Independent. Court records confirm he entered not guilty pleas to both counts of theft and was granted unconditional bail until his trial on 10 May 2027.

In addition to the violin, Madour faces a second charge for allegedly stealing a £4,000 guitar on the same day in Hackney, as detailed in coverage by The Independent.

What happened during the theft at the Marquess Tavern?

The theft took place on the evening of Tuesday, 18 February 2025, at the Marquess Tavern on Canonbury Street in Islington, north London.

David López Ibáñez, a second violinist with London’s prestigious Philharmonia Orchestra, was dining with a friend when a thief secretly snatched the violin from their side, according to an article by Standard reporter Anna Highfield published shortly after the incident.

As reported by Anna Highfield of the Evening Standard, the violin—made in 1740 by acclaimed Florentine instrument maker Lorenzo Carcassi—had been “generously” loaned to Ibáñez to aid his performances at major concerts with the Philharmonia.

Also stolen were three bows, one featuring a mother-of-pearl tip, all contained in a black Riboni Unoeotto case. The instrument bears a distinctive heart-shaped hole in the scroll, a key identifying feature noted in the police appeal.

Following the theft, the Metropolitan Police released an image of a suspect to aid the investigation.

Who is the victim and why is the violin so valuable?

David López Ibáñez, originally from Andalusia, Spain, moved to London in 2013 and serves as a second violinist with the Philharmonia Orchestra, one of London’s “big four” orchestras led by conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali.

He has performed chamber concerts at prestigious venues including Wigmore Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, and Conway Hall, and has won several awards for his music.

The 30-year-old musician described the emotional toll in vivid terms to the Evening Standard:

“I’m really devastated and there are moments of clear head and there are moments of utter panic after the loss of what feels like my voice.”

He added:

“Someone has stolen a part of me. It’s been eight years that I’ve played this instrument, it has become my voice. It’s countless hours that I have spent with it, it’s been my shadow, it’s always on my back as I travel with it, it’s a companion.”

Ibáñez emphasised the violin’s “priceless” sentimental value and irreplaceable sound, stating:

“When a musician is not at one with their sound, they cannot deliver the same, they are deprived of something unique to them. So I feel lost, I feel like at a real kind of cliff edge.”

It felt

“like a part of me has been ripped off,”

he said, urging Londoners to help reunite him with the instrument.

Pc Michael Collins, from the Met’s local policing team in Camden, appealed for information at the time, saying:

“The victim, who is a member of London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, has told us the piece is worth more than £150,000 and was made in Florence in 1740.”

Coverage in People magazine, citing The Standard and The Independent, valued the 286-year-old violin at over $200,000 (£150,000).

The Philharmonia Orchestra has a storied history, having played soundtrack scores for hundreds of major films and having a recording selected by NASA in 1977 to represent life and culture on Earth.

What is the current status of the legal proceedings?

Madour’s court appearance last week at Snaresbrook Crown Court resulted in his trial being fixed for 10 May 2027, with unconditional bail granted after not guilty pleas.

As confirmed by the Metropolitan Police to People magazine, the charges were formalised nearly a year after the alleged theft.

The Independent reported the police timeline precisely: Madour was charged on 19 January 2026, following his arrest on 25 June 2025. No further details on additional evidence or witness statements have been publicly disclosed at this stage, in line with ongoing proceedings.

Has the violin been recovered and what did police do next?

There is no confirmation in any reports that the violin or the accompanying items have been recovered as of 30 March 2026. Police investigations continue, with the initial appeal led by Pc Michael Collins highlighting the instrument’s unique features to prompt public tips.

David López Ibáñez provided a direct contact for information: david.lopezibanez@philharmonia.co.uk. The Metropolitan Police’s release of a suspect image shortly after the theft aimed to generate leads, as noted by Daily Mail journalists Rory Tingle and Chris Matthews.

Why did the musician have the violin at a pub?

David López Ibáñez had the violin with him as it was his performance instrument, loaned specifically for his role with the Philharmonia Orchestra. He was simply dining with a friend at the Marquess Tavern on the evening of 18 February 2025 when the theft occurred, with the case left momentarily unattended by his side.

Ibáñez explained its constant presence in his life:

“It’s always on my back as I travel with it,”

underscoring its role as a daily companion for rehearsals and concerts.

What makes this violin historically significant?

Crafted in 1740 by Lorenzo Carcassi in Florence, the violin represents a rare example of 18th-century Italian luthiery. The Strad magazine reported on the charges, noting it as a 1740 Carcassi violin, highlighting its appeal to collectors and musicians alike. Its estimated value exceeds £150,000 due to age, craftsmanship, and provenance, with the unique heart-shaped scroll adding to its distinctiveness.

For Ibáñez, beyond monetary worth, its sound was “irreplaceable,” tailored to his playing over eight years.

How has the Philharmonia Orchestra responded?

No official statement from the Philharmonia Orchestra appears in the covered reports, though David López Ibáñez’s personal appeals were made in his capacity as a member. The orchestra’s prestige was noted in context, with its history of high-profile performances and recordings.

Ibáñez’s devastation reflects the personal impact on an active performer relying on the loaned instrument for major concerts.