Iolani Yamashiro, Honolulu Symphony violinist and music teacher at The Kamehameha Schools, lost a big piece of herself when someone broke into a colleague's car and stole her 170-year-old violin.

She and her assistant, fellow violin teacher Ben Hoke, are so desperate to get it back they will forget about prosecuting for the weekend break-in.

Both of them today were kicking themselves over the loss, Hoke because, at 9 p.m., he had stowed the violin in his locked, alarm-wired car, Yamashiro because she'd never had the instrument appraised or insured. Her educated guess at its worth: about $20,000.

Yamashiro had carried a viola with her on her Friday flight to Maui and left the violin with Hoke to bring the next morning.

Instead, Hoke found his car, parked in the ungated garage of his Salt Lake condo, had been jimmied and the violin, an 1832 model by the French manufacturer Olry, was gone. Everyone's fear: The thief, seeing the carrying case, figured it was an ukulele and may have dumped the violin, not knowing its value or how to unload it.

Anyone with information is urged to call CrimeStoppers, 955-8300.