ChiefsPlanet - Pictures Let's solve the art mystery

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Originally Posted by wazu (Post 14903462)

The two guys claiming they stashed it sounds most legitimate since seemingly nobody profited from this caper. Keeping it sealed away for 20 years to get past statute of limitations makes some sense. My guess is they initially thought it could be instant retirement if they found a buyer, but then as they screwed up other jobs it became more of a lifeline.

It kind of makes sense, but at the same time I think they could just be normal burglars who decided on the spur of the moment to claim this, hoping it would help them somehow. Since they weren't charged, it makes me think they couldn't back it up.

I can see the art thief being involved, because when he told them that the painting would reappear soon, the timeline kind of matched up with when the painting was likely placed in the wall. It seems like he might have known. Maybe he had the two burglars working for him, but it doesn't seem like they would be necessary.

One thing that just occurred to me is that the painting was x-rayed and the second painting was found underneath, just a few months before the exhibit was planned. So if the art thief (or the burglars for that matter) stole the original and replaced it with a forgery, then he would have had to steal after the x-ray and before the exhibit planning. That's a small window and it seems stupid to steal the painting right after the news of the double painting broke. And then breaking in to steal the forgery makes no sense at all.

I'm thinking that the gallery director had to be involved. I remember reading about some other theft where a museum person stole the painting and just displayed it in their home for years because they appreciated art. That could be the case here, but the return of the painting after the gallery director died makes no sense.

I'm liking the theory that the gallery director wanted to create buzz by having it stolen, and then maybe he got screwed over. Maybe he had the art thief take it, and then the art thief wouldn't give it back. After 20+ years, maybe the art thief knew he couldn't sell it, so he liked art and decided to give it back.