Hearing Postponed for Suspect in $5M Wisconsin Violin Theft

A plea hearing has been postponed for a Milwaukee, Wisc., man accused of stealing a $5 million Stradivarius violin.

Salah Salahadyn pleaded not guilty in February to being a party to felony robbery. He later asked to enter a new plea. A hearing for that was set for Monday, but the judge postponed proceedings due to scheduling issues.

The new plea hearing will be July 24. That’s the same day Salahadyn’s co-defendant is to be sentenced. Thirty-six-year-old Universal K. Allah pleaded guilty in May to being party to robbery.

The 300-year-old violin was missing for nine days before police recovered it in good condition.

Salahadyn was convicted in 2000 of trying to resell a $25,000 statue to an art gallery owner from whom it had been stolen.