I read about thefts of art and assets on a pretty regular basis from various news feeds, some from museums and galleries and, mostly in Europe and North America. If there’s a common thread it’s that the victims appear to have been completely unaware of the threat. The only logical explanation, as I’ve said before, is that we’re naïve to …
Why Do People Steal Art and Paintings?
While recently reflecting on the estimated $4B to $6B figure of art stolen annually I started thinking about the reasons for taking such a high risk, and I stumbled on an interesting article that lists four motives. Not all thieves are in it for the money, as opposed to, say, someone robbing a bank. First Type: Show Me The Money. …
Delusions of Art Recovery
On Friday, two paintings by Vincent Van Gogh stolen in a 2002 major art theft were recovered following an investigation into a group linked to the Italian mafia. The Naples-based Camorra crime clan was discovered to be in possession of the “Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuene” and “View of the Sea at Scheveningen” stolen from Amsterdam’s Van Gogh …
Cutting Down on Art Theft Vulnerability
The recent art theft of seven out of ten Andy Warhol can prints, on display for “The Electric Garden of Our Minds: British/American Pop” exhibit at the Springfield Art Museum, has been widely reported. The industry’s as well as the general public’s heightened interest in this art heist might have partly to do with the fact that the stolen pieces …