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Gene Kennedy reportingThere is increased security and watchful eyes in the art community after pieces of art were stolen from two galleries. A Kaysville business was hit just days after art was stolen from a gallery in Salt Lake City, and police believe the two crimes may be related.
Law enforcement officers say the reason they think the incidents are related is because, in both crimes, artwork by the same artist was stolen.
It appears the thieves have a passion for James Christensen's work. Seventeen pieces of Christensen's artwork were stolen from the Repartee Art Gallery in the Deseret Bookstore in Salt Lake City.
It's a $15,000 loss for the store, and officials from Deseret Book and Zions Security think the thieves snuck out undetected by using passageways underneath the store to make their getaway.
Now, fast-forward a week later: A thief, or thieves, broke into the Canyon Gallery in Kaysville. "It looked like they may have taken a hammer, a large heavy object, hit the glass, and there was glass everywhere," explained Darren Peel, owner of Canyon Gallery.
With the alarm blaring, the thieves snatched art right off the displays. "We had a larger painting on this easel right here. It was taken," he said.
Peel also pointed out another display that was broken into. "This display was completely broken into, glass everywhere on the floor. We had a framed canvas that was taken," he said.
Six pieces of art, most by James Christensen, were stolen.
"He has a large audience of people who love his work," Peel said. "Definitely, they (the thieves) knew what they were going for. They knew the value of the pieces and were very specific about what they stole."
Since the break-in, Peel has set up security cameras in his gallery. The Repartee Gallery in the Deseret Book store will get a surveillance camera system in the next week.
In the meantime, managers at other art galleries we spoke with say they'll look out for those trying to unload art or frame those prints. With a buzz in the art community and police activity investigating leads, the hope is the thieves will never be able to sell what they stole.
While police investigate, the Repartee Gallery is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the return of the art.
E-mail: gkennedy@ksl.com
