Jessica Muchen Hsieh, a student at the New England Conservatory of Music, realized the violin was missing sometime after getting off a Megabus in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old appealed for help in being reunited with her instrument.

Made in Naples, Italy in 1835, the violin still bears the label of its maker, Vincenco Jorio. It was on loan to Muchen from the Chi Mei Culture Foundation in Taiwan.

"I'm a violin major so I really hope that the person that took it can give it back to me so I can continue my studies because right now, I can't do anything," Hsieh told local station KYW-TV.

Police said numerous reports on social media that the violin had been found were false and that the hunt was still on.

"What we have to do is hope that whoever had the opportunity to lay their hands on it will be honest enough to give it back," said Sergeant Michael Goodson of the Philadelphia Police Department.