A Miami couple who allegedly stole paintings from a warehouse in Miami were then caught in an FBI sting trying to sell the stolen paintings to a Miami art gallery.
Article at WSVN TV News
It's amazing what walks through your doors as a gallery owner. Fine art galleries, like jewelry and antique stores, get very sophisticated criminals and a fair share of idiot scam artists. The first month I opened my gallery on Las Olas a man came in with a photograph of a painting he said he was willing to sell. He claimed it was a small watercolor of northern Florida by Winslow Homer. I was intrigued at first knowing the famous artist did come down to Florida for a short while. When I asked for the price and how soon he could bring the painting into the gallery he began his big pitch. You see he liked me, I know we just met, but he really really liked me. The painting he claimed was worth $100,000 to $200,000 but because he liked me I could buy the painting from him for just $5,000. Of course he would need the money immediately and would then ship the painting to me when he got back home. I would have to trust him and buy the painting without even inspecting it, and why not, he really liked me. I passed on that offer and many like that over the years. What criminals don't know is that most art galleries are in touch with each other and the FBI. We often share information about possible stolen works of art. GL
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