Art Thief Casually Lifts Expensive Dali Painting Off Wall of Upper East Side Gallery
19 replies, posted
[img]http://www.nypost.com/r/nypost/2012/06/21/news/web_photos/M215341--525x415.jpg[/img]
[quote]
A slick art thief snatched a Salvador Dali painting right off the wall of an Upper East Side gallery, dropped it in a shopping bag and calmly strolled unnoticed out the front door, law-enforcement sources said.
Famed art dealer and radio baron Adam Lindemann told cops the crook snatched “Cartel de Don Juan Tenorio” from his new Venus Over Manhattan gallery on Madison Avenue at around 4 p.m. Wednesday, the sources said.
“During regular business hours, with a security guard,” Lindemann told The Post today.
The small watercolor-and-ink painting — a Dali original completed in 1949 — is worth $150,000, insurance adjusters told cops.
“We’re cooperating fully with the police and have no further comment,” added Lindemann, a polo-playing socialite who founded a chain of 20 Spanish-language radio stations.
Surveillance video shows the crook walking into the darkened, third-floor gallery carrying a heavyweight paper shopping bag, sources said.
The thief told a security guard who was keeping an eye on him, “I want to take a picture of this painting,” meaning the Dali, according to a source.
The guard told him he could take a photo but could not use a flash.
But, distracted by another visitor, the rent-a-cop left.
When he returned, it was too late.
The surveillance video footage shows the thief slipping out of the gallery with the purloined painting’s frame protruding from his bag.
The guard notified Lindemann, who reported the theft to the NYPD today morning.
He didn’t recognize the thief from the video.
Sources described the crook as a white male, about 5-foot-6, 160 pounds and 35 to 42 years old. He wore dark jeans and shoes and a black-and-white checkered dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
Lindemann is an art lover who opened the gallery on May 9 with the kinky exhibition “À Rebours,” which included a few dozen works from the 19th century to the present.
He is married to the art dealer Amalia Dayan, granddaughter of former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan.
In 2006, Lindemann published a collection of interviews with art-world bigs in the 2006 book “Collecting Contemporary.”
Art lovers were saddened they couldn’t see the Dali work today.
“We went inside to see the show, and we were wondering where the Salvador Dali painting was,” said Jacquie Tellalian, 58.
“It’s a small painting, but how did he just put in his bag and walk out like that? I hope somebody finds it.”
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[quote]He wore dark jeans [b]and shoes[/b] and a black-and-white checkered dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.[/quote]
yep you'll find him now for sure
[quote]The thief told a security guard who was keeping an eye on him, “I want to take a picture of this painting,” meaning the Dali, according to a source.
The guard told him he could take a photo but could not use a flash.[/quote]
"Hey, can I take a picture of this painting?"
"Sure, just don't use flash."
"No flash? Fuck taking a picture then, I'll just take the painting."
What a gangster.
dammit caffrey
That's pretty damn impressive if you ask me, unless it was some idiot who had no idea what he was stealing.
[QUOTE=someguywithagun;36452499]That's pretty damn impressive if you ask me, unless it was some idiot who had no idea what he was stealing.[/QUOTE]
Not really, art museums don't have any particularly tough security. At most museums you can just lift a painting off the wall and get out easily.
Heh, somebody watches too much Ocean's Twelve.
I like that painting. I could see it on my wall
[QUOTE=Kabstrac;36452359]sometimes being hidden in plain sight is the best route[/QUOTE]
I think no one expects you to steal something in front of anyone. He probably played it cool or something aswell instead of "RUN FUCKING RUN"
That painting is trippy as hell.
[QUOTE]The guard notified Lindemann, who reported the theft to the NYPD [B]today morning[/B].
[/QUOTE]
Today Morning?
[QUOTE=Glitch360;36452353]yep you'll find him now for sure[/QUOTE]
"He was wearing clothes and escaped using two legs."
[QUOTE=Last or First;36452372]"Hey, can I take a picture of this painting?"
"Sure, just don't use flash."
"No flash? Fuck taking a picture then, I'll just take the painting."[/QUOTE]
More likely this was all a misunderstanding
"Can I take a picture?"
"Sure go ahead"
"Aw sweet!"
Police say they are no closer to determining the wherabouts of Piers Brosnan.
[QUOTE=Kabstrac;36452359]sometimes being hidden in plain sight is the best route[/QUOTE]
I recall a robber disguised as a goddamn tree managed to slowly sneak into the bank and steal like tons of money somewhere in the US.
There was even a wikipedia article about it, something to do how humans see something and their brain assumes that it's nothing out of the ordinary.
[quote]white male, about 5-foot-6, 160 pounds and 35 to 42 years old[/quote]
One of the perks about being white, male and middle aged is that it's going to be super hard to catch you when that's the only way they can describe you.
It does make me wonder why they didn't say anything about his eye color or hair color or hair cut considering it's like 10 times easier to change your clothes than it is to change the others
[QUOTE=dass;36454947]I think no one expects you to steal something in front of anyone. He probably played it cool or something aswell instead of "RUN FUCKING RUN"[/QUOTE]
People probably saw him and assumed he was with the museum or something and didn't bother to say anything or make a note of it.
Maybe he was leaving a submliminal message that art is never seen in the correct manner, rather observed with ignorant eyes, leaving more to be critically analyzed.
[QUOTE=dass;36454947]I think no one expects you to steal something in front of anyone. He probably played it cool or something aswell instead of "RUN FUCKING RUN"[/QUOTE]
Yeah, walking around like you're supposed to be somewhere tends to make people think you are supposed to be there.
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