A tenor saxophone once owned by jazz musician Ross Taggart vanished from the Orpheum Theatre stage on Friday (January 5).

The current owner, Chris Startup, planned to use the instrument for a series of Vancouver Symphony Orchestra concerts.

"This instrument has great sentimental value to me as it was left to me by my dear friend Ross Taggart," Startup wrote on Facebook. "The horn was taken without a case. The serial number is M73842." 

Taggart, a nationally admired saxophonist, died of cancer five years ago.

Startup told CBC News that the instrument could be worth up to $15,000.

A report has been filed with Vancouver police.