NCJ Number
53753
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 48 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1979) Pages: 14-18
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCTING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING ART THEFT--IDENTIFYING OWNERS OF STOLEN ART, REPORTING THEFTS, HANDLING ART OBJECTS, ETC.--ARE OFFERED.
Abstract
IN LIGHT OF THE ESTIMATION THAT $1 BILLION WORTH OF ART HAS BEEN STOLEN IN THE UNITED STATES, IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE ART THEFT PROBLEM DESERVES CLOSER SCRUTINY THAN IT HAS RECEIVED BY THE U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS OF NEW YORK CITY AND PHILADELPHIA, FEW LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HAVE PERSONNEL TRAINED IN THE INVESTIGATION OF ART CRIMES. ONE PROBLEM CONFRONTING ART THEFT INVESTIGATORS HAS BEEN THE INABILITY TO IDENTIFY AND LOCATE THE OWNERS OF RECOVERED STOLEN PROPERTY. THE INTERNATIONAL GUIDE TO MISSING TREASURES, A CENTRAL INDEX CONTAINING REPORTS OF STOLEN WORKS OF ART, HAS HELPED TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. LEAA FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR POLICE AGENCIES WISHING TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE INDEX. ART THEFT INVESTIGATORS MUST BE CONCERNED WITH THE ADEQUATE IDENTIFICATION OF RECOVERED WORKS OF ART FOR EVIDENTIARY PURPOSES AND WITH THE PROPER HANDLING OF AND STORAGE OF THE WORKS. INVESTIGATORS SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL TO PRESERVE AS EVIDENCE ANY STRIPS OF CANVAS FOUND INSIDE FRAMES, AS ART THIEVES OFTEN CUT A PAINTING AWAY FROM ITS FRAME. REPORTS OF ART THEFTS SHOULD INCLUDE INFORMATION ON THE NAME OF THE ARTIST, THE MEDIUM, THE SIZE OF THE WORK, ANY DATE OR SIGNATURE APPEARING ON THE WORK AND ANY OTHER IDENTIFYING MARKS. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD ADVISE CITIZENS WHO ASK WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF AN ART THEFT TO REPORT THE THEFT TO THE POLICE, NOT TO DISTURB THE SCENE OF THE CRIME, TO CONSIDER PUBLICIZING THE THEFT THROUGH LOCAL NEWS MEDIA, TO REPORT THE THEFT TO THE COMPANY INSURING THE OBJECT, AND TO INSIST THAT THE INSURER FORWARD PHOTOGRAPHS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THE MISSING OBJECT TO ART DEALERS, MUSEUMS, AND AUCTION HOUSES. THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS EXPERIENCED IN ART RECOVERY ARE LISTED. (LKM)