A classical musician had his rare oboe stolen in a “distraction theft” at St Pancras station, comparing the loss to “losing a limb”. Peter Facer, 38, a member of Britten Sinfonia, was returning from his former oboe teacher’s retirement party when the theft occurred on June 14.
Theft details
Mr Facer was leaning against railings outside the station entrance, holding a coffee and two bags – one containing the rare oboe d’amore and the other with clothes and AirPods. A young man approached him asking for directions to Euston station, repeating the request multiple times as he claimed limited English. As the man walked away, Mr Facer noticed his possessions had vanished, suspecting an accomplice had sneaked up behind him during the distraction.
The three-year-old oboe is made from cocobolo wood, light brown with silver keys, and is used for 17th-century and contemporary repertoire. It was last seen in a black fabric case, about 40cm long and 20cm wide, with the Howarth London logo and serial number 3849.
Police response
Mr Facer found two British Transport Police (BTP) officers, who told him the theft occurred outside the station, making it a matter for the Met Police. He described their response as “infuriating”, noting they said they only cover train stations. He filed an online report with the Met Police and searched St Pancras himself, but the instrument remains missing over a month later.
BTP said: “This theft occurred on Metropolitan Police jurisdiction, so details on the report and the ongoing investigation should be directed to them.” The Met declined to comment on individual theft offences not involving violence, shoplifting, antisocial behaviour, or criminal damage.
Musician's plea
Mr Facer told The Times: “They have no idea the sentimental attachment that musicians have to their instruments. It's like losing a limb. When they steal something like that it's psychologically damaging, which is far worse than the monetary or career inconvenience. And maybe they should realise that, dig deep down, find some compassion and just return the instrument for that reason.”
The theft follows a similar incident in February last year, when Philharmonia Orchestra member David Lopez Ibanez had a 285-year-old Italian violin stolen from a pub in Islington, worth over £150,000. Mr Facer noted that instrument theft is “annoyingly common” among musicians, but thieves often struggle to sell classical instruments due to serial numbers and a tight-knit community that reports suspect listings.
