Police Recover Stolen Picasso
Police Recover Stolen Picasso & Portinari from Sao Paulo
The Brazilian police recovered the paintings that were reported stolen by the Sao Paulo Museum of Art, which has been closed since the theft was reported.
Police officials in Sao Paulo, Brazil, have taken into their custody two paintings, having discovered them at a home in the outskirts of Sao Paulo. The paintings, the creation of two artists par excellence, Pablo Picasso and Candido Portinari, are worth millions of dollars and are a part of the world heritage collection. They have been in the Sao Paulo Museum of Art for quite some time before they were stolen last month from their abode. Along with recovering the paintings, the police have also taken into their custody two suspects of the case, who they believe to have had a hand in this affair.
The paintings were discovered without damage, wrapped in plastic, at a house situated in the environs of Sao Paulo. Although officials from the Sao Paulo Museum of Art believed that the paintings had been smuggled abroad, the Brazilian police did not lose hope and continued their search to find the paintings well secured within their own territories.
The discovery was made by one of the suspects after having led the police into the house, uncovering their secret to officials. The police found the painting, virtually unspoiled, leaning against an unceremonious wall in the house. The recovered paintings have been checked by professionals for authenticity and they have confirmed them to be the original creations. The recovered paintings were kept under strictest legal supervision while they were displayed at a news conference for the police.
This has certainly provided the Museum officials with some relief, who, shortly after the incidence of theft, found out that the two paintings along with eight thousand other artifacts, hitherto supposed to be well-secured within the museum gallery, were without any insurance. The two paintings have a combined value of more than $55 million.
Moreover, the theft came as a surprise to the museum officials and it was certainly a great deal of embarrassment for them. Fingers have also been raised regarding the security concerns of the museum. Ever since the incident, a major population of police have been thriving around the museum premises, with the shutter of the museum down, due to strictest security precautions.
It has been reported by the investigators that three thieves broke into the museum premises, with only a hydraulic car jack and a crow bar to aid their craftiness. They used these tools to pry open the entrance to the museum and the rest of their activity, that is, stealing the paintings, was just a matter of minutes.
The recovered paintings are to be returned to the museum this Friday, at the event of the Museum of Arts reopening.
A good lesson learnt, the Sao Paulo Museum of Art authorities have decided to tighten their security and promised to see to it that such instances of stealthy intrusion do not occur again in the future.
