Art seizure captures attention of experts, former FBI agent

Saanich police are continuing to search for the owners of over a thousand pieces of art.

This comes after officers seized artwork, valued in the tens of millions of dollars earlier this month at three storage units in Saanich, Oak Bay, and Langford.

Police say several people fell victim to an art dealer, operating out of a gallery in Oak Bay. The dealer reportedly agreed to sell artwork on the behalf of the art owners, but then stopped all communication with the owners. It’s alleged that the dealer kept the profits and artwork for themselves.

CHEK News has learned that the suspect may have been operating out of the now-closed Winchester Gallery. Police have not confirmed if the gallery is related to the seizure. The name of the suspect has not been released and no formal charges have been laid.

The seizure is believed to be the Saanich Police Department’s highest valued seizure in 30 years, and it’s gaining attention in the art world.

University of Victoria art history professor, Carolyn Butler Palmer, who has taught classes specializing in art crimes, says crimes like this are rare.

“There are individuals who steal works of art and keep them for their own. There are individuals who try and steal works of art for other reasons. One thing that is very common in the world of art crime is that it’s linked to other very significant crimes,” said Butler Palmer.

The most common types of art crime are fraud and theft cases, according to Butler Palmer. She says to financially gain from an art crime, such as theft, would be difficult.

“They usually drop radically in value somewhere to 10 to 30 per cent of what their market value is. So if you think about a million dollar painting, it’s now reduced to $300,000 and part of the reason for that is that it’s very hard to move stolen works of art,” said Butler Palmer.

Former F.B.I. agent Robert Wittman also caught wind of this seizure.

Wittman helped create the agency’s FBI’s rapid deployment Art Crime Team (ACT) and has worked for the agency for more than 20 years. During his career, he dealt with serious art crime cases including some that occurred in Canada.

“I remember one individual going around museums and colleges and stealing rare books. In fact, I was involved in a recovery with the RCMP of an original first edition copy of ‘The Evolution of Species.'” said Wittman, who now works as a private security consultant.

Wittman says art crimes are gaining popularity.

“A lot of things have been happening and because of the value, individuals are getting involved in art theft,” said Wittman.

Butler Palmer says that given how unregulated the art world is, it’s best that artists sell their work themselves.

oherrera@cheknews.ca

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