Art Theft Research Paper

Art Theft by Charlene Piccio

Art theft has become an increasingly recognized crime in the world. It’s a hot object for robbers to steal, and makes tons of money in the black market. Government agencies attempt to stop these crimes, yet as the years go by, more and more art is lost that’s worth millions. Art now has to be protected in order to be preserved and not stolen. With the help of art crime teams, past cases, and why art has become a major source of criminal activity, we can discover how the art world has become what it is today.

Throughout the world, people work together in order to stop art thefts, and prevent them from happening again. The United States Federal Bureau Investigation, or the FBI, enlists an Art Crime Team to deal

with these robberies. This unit is comprised of 16 special agents who all work together with attorneys from the DOJ trial in order to carry out prosecutions for people who have stolen art (“Art Crime Team”).

The FBI has also made the National Stolen Art File, an online database for art that was reported stolen, as well as cultural properties for agencies to be have handy for use. In Los Angeles, the Art Theft Team that works there created a specific crime unit called the Art Theft Detail. In this designated area, only fine art was looked into if it was the subject of a robbery. The two detectives who work on the case will “target suspects preying upon artists, art dealers, and collectors” (“About the Art Theft Detail”). The Los Angeles Art Theft Team also provides a section on their website where you can determine whether a piece of art is fake, or authentic. Interpol also has their hand in dealing with the art theft world. Since acknowledging the importance of their role in inquiring about shady trade deals, they encourage other professions in the similar field, like the dealers

and owners, to help out with theft and potentially solve some crimes (“Works of Art”). Like the FBI, they too have a database of work that has been stolen. These databases, however, don’t compare to the Art Loss Register. The Art Loss Register is considered the largest database of artwork stolen in the entire world. Working together with the art community, they provide research services in order to “minimize the risk of handling stolen, fake, or missing art” (“Art Dealers”). All four of these organizations provide a means to stop art theft.
One art theft case that came to be involved the painting “Conversation with the Gardener,” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. During late 2000 in Stockholm, Sweden, an unarmed guard was held at gunpoint at the National Museum. While the guard was being held up, two accomplices of the armed man entered the museum and stole a few works of art, including “Conversation with the Gardener.” To get away, they left spikes on the ground to slow down the police, and set off a few car explosions to distract them as well (“Conversation with the Gardener”). The robbers were able to get away on a water boat. Although receiving a ransom, the police declined the offer, and were able to arrest eight men by January. “Conversation with the Gardener” was not recovered until five years later in 2005. It was discovered while on an “undercover drug raid” (“Conversation with the Gardener”). As for the other works that were stolen that night, they have not been found as of yet.
To me, art theft is such a costly criminal enterprise because depending on the robber, they either will eventually destroy it, or sell it off for millions.

Robbers who know little about the artwork that they have stolen can potentially ruin it with the wear-and-tear that goes through transportation and trading. With the art being worn down, it will eventually deteriorate and not be the same as it was secured in a museum. On the other hand, robbers who study and watch the art business, as well as the crimes committed, know how to handle art carefully. When stolen, thieves will wait until the robbery has been announced in the newspaper, so they can see the work’s value. Once seen, then they’ll be able to calculate how much they will earn in profits, or how much it would go for on the black market (“Art Theft Ranked as Fourth-Largest Criminal Enterprise”). Art is so valued today because it reminds us of a simpler time, of where the artist could express themselves freely. When looking at the art, it evokes emotions that we may have not known before, and to own and cherish it in your own time can be an amazing experience. Art reveals a lot of what we don’t know about

ourselves.
In conclusion, art theft is still a problem that is fought today. We attempt to prevent it by hiring teams designed to track down potential suspects. We look at past cases in order to find patterns of how future robberies could be executed. We also question the value of art in order to figure out why these people steal. Even though art theft is still to be dealt with, we will eventually find a way to curb this situation so that art can again be appreciated in the way that it’s supposed to be.