On Christmas Eve, the New York Police Department appealed for the public’s help in solving a burglary that sounds as if it came straight out of a movie scene. During Thanksgiving, the owners of an upscale apartment – with a sound home security system – were out of town for four days, when a gang of burglars robbed them of their priceless artwork. Among the stolen art were paintings by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. The burglars also took jewelry and a number of valuable Rolex, Patek Philppe, and Cartier watches.
However, most surprising of all was that the video camera connected to the apartment’s home security system was also taken. The New York Police Department suspects the burglars were an extremely skilled team of specialists, who most likely steal artwork to order. The burglars circumvented the apartment’s home security system by tunneling through the wall of an adjoining hallway to gain entrance, and managed to get in and out without activating any alarms. The police suspect they took the video recorder to remove all traces of their presence.
A similar burglary in Los Angeles in September 2009 also resulted in the theft of original Warhols, ten in total. Despite the owner’s offer of a million dollar reward, none have yet been returned. But burglaries like this are not a new occurrence in the art scene, and many art collectors believe art is often stolen to order. It takes an extremely skilled burglar to not only know how to deactivate some of the best home security systems in the world, but also how to safely transport stolen artwork, let alone find buyers. Obviously, months of preparation goes into break-ins like this. Sadly, even if the art is insured for an adequate amount, nothing can replace artwork to which collectors have an emotional attachment.
So how can art collectors protect their valuable possessions? Obviously, it’s an ongoing struggle to outsmart burglars. Professional burglars, just like experts in any field, keep up with the latest developments in home security systems, so for every new system developed, they will find a way to get around it. Any art collector who values his or her collection is best advised to talk to a home security company that specializes in high-end art protection, and discuss the possibilities of a multi-tiered home security system that includes not only automated monitoring, but also live security patrols.
