Student’s $38,000 violin snatched from West Auckland bus, police appeal for help
Last Updated on August 6, 2026
A university music student is appealing for help after her rare, custom-made violin worth roughly $38,000 was stolen from a bus in West Auckland at the weekend, according to the NZ Herald.
Longrui Zhu, 22, a University of Auckland music student from China, was riding the Route 18 bus from New Lynn into the city about 9am on Saturday when she says an intimidating passenger at the back of the bus began staring at her. Feeling unsafe, she got off partway through the journey on Walmer Road — but in the confusion, left her violin behind on board.
Zhu told the Herald the man she had noticed then picked up the instrument and got off the bus himself on Karangahape Road around 10.20am. She said she rang both Auckland Transport and police as soon as she realised what had happened, but by the time help arrived, the violin was gone.
The instrument, a Wang violin, was bought by her parents in China for about ¥150,000 (NZ$37,762) from what she described as a “highly skilled luthier.” Zhu has played violin since she was seven and is a member of the Auckland University orchestra. She told the Herald the loss has left her unable to sleep or eat, describing the violin as something akin to her own child.
In the days since, Zhu says she has searched music shops, pawnbrokers and even outreach services for homeless communities around the city in the hope of tracking the instrument down, without success. She said she had hoped police could release a CCTV image of the man to help identify him publicly, but was told this raised privacy concerns.
Police confirmed to the Herald they received a report of a violin theft from a bus in New Lynn over the weekend, believed to have happened around 10am on Saturday. A police spokesperson said CCTV footage from the scene is being reviewed and that inquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information has been asked to contact police via 105 online or by phone, referencing file number 260802/2089, or to report anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Why it matters: The theft highlights the vulnerability of high-value personal property on public transport, particularly for international students who may be unfamiliar with local support systems when something goes wrong. It also points to the practical limits authorities face in recovering stolen goods quickly — even with CCTV evidence — when privacy rules restrict how footage can be shared publicly. For everyday bus users, the case is a reminder of how quickly a moment of feeling unsafe on board can lead to a costly loss, and it puts a spotlight on how Auckland Transport and police coordinate, or are expected to coordinate, when incidents are reported in real time. The outcome of the police investigation may also test public expectations around using social media and community networks to help recover stolen property when official channels move slowly.
News from nzherald.co.nz. Full story: NZ Herald.
Photo: “Auckland, New Zealand – City of the Future” by mattlemmon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Openverse.
