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Modern Mysteries

Mystery surrounds theft of $160M painting

By T.K. Randall
August 6, 2018 · Comment icon 6 comments

Did the couple really steal the painting ? Image Credit: sxc.hu
When elderly couple Jerry and Rita Alter died, a stolen painting worth millions was found in their bedroom.
The remarkable discovery was that of 'Woman-Ochre' - a $160M painting by Willem de Kooning that had been stolen from the University of Arizona Museum of Art in Tucson over 30 years ago.

Described as a 'lovely couple' by their neighbors, Jerry and Rita had lead a quiet, normal life.

So how did they come to possess a priceless stolen painting ?

An investigation has since revealed that they may have been covering up the theft for some time.

One of the most tantalising pieces of evidence is a photograph showing the couple on holiday in Tucson the very day before the painting was stolen.
The theft itself was carried out by a man and a woman who walked in to the museum just as it was opening in the morning. The woman had distracted the security guard downstairs while the man disappeared upstairs. When he returned, the couple quickly left.

It wasn't until the guard checked upstairs afterwards that he realized that the painting was gone.

Back then, there were no security cameras, leaving little in the way of evidence.

Could such an unassuming couple have really pulled off such an audacious theft and then lived out the rest of their lives with the $160M painting hanging on their bedroom wall ?

The investigation continues.

Source: Independent | Comments (6)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #1 Posted by Imaginarynumber1 6 years ago
I DID NOT at any point steal that painting.
Comment icon #2 Posted by cathya 6 years ago
Seems odd that they would steal this painting, then just keep it hanging on a wall.  I would have thought that they would have tried to find some unscrupulous art collector and sold it for millions...they must have just liked the painting.
Comment icon #3 Posted by kewlscot 6 years ago
Have you seen the painting? its bloody awful, a kid of 3 could have done better, but then again I'm mot an art critic! and I'm grateful for that lol
Comment icon #4 Posted by Jon the frog 6 years ago
Why on earth this scrap have a value of $160M ... some people are really high on LSD...
Comment icon #5 Posted by DanL 6 years ago
That is one ugly picture! I think a 3 year old could do better. I'm not sure that my dog couldn't do better. I don't understand what some people call art.
Comment icon #6 Posted by The Caspian Hare 6 years ago
Ha ha I guess they just did it for the thrill. Just woke up one morning thinking "You know: I should pull off an art heist."  


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