FBI recovers paintings stolen more than 40 years ago from N.M. museum
June 6 (UPI) -- A pair of stolen paintings have been returned to a museum in New Mexico after they were missing for more than 40 years, the FBI confirmed on Friday.
The FBI credited its free Stolen Art App launched in 2023 for helping to identify and recover the paintings by artists Victor Higgins and Joseph Henry Sharp.
The two works of art were stolen in March 1985 from the University of New Mexico's Harwood Museum of Art, located in Taos. The town of approximately 6,400 people is located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and known for its historic buildings.
The FBI did not say if anyone has been charged in relation to the stolen paintings, only that "cooperation of multiple individuals and other entities contacted during the investigation was critical to the recovery of these paintings," and that "all investigative leads have been exhausted at this time."
The museum is holding a special unveiling Friday night for Higgins' oil painting titled "Aspens," and Sharp's "Oklahoma Cheyenne." Both men were members of the Taos Society of Artists.
"We are thrilled to announce a historic moment for Harwood Museum of Art. After 40 years, two paintings stolen during the infamous 1985 Harwood Heist -- works by Victor Higgins and Joseph Henry Sharp -- have been officially returned to the museum," the museum wrote on Facebook.
"The FBI has delivered the recovered artworks to our Collections and Curatorial Departments, marking a major moment of closure and celebration for our community and the legacy of Taos art."
"We are grateful for the cooperation of all parties involved," Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office Margaret Girard said in the agency's statement.
"The recovery of these stolen paintings is a powerful reminder that the FBI continues to commit investigative resources to recover cultural property and return these stolen items to their rightful owners."
Friday's event also includes a screening of a documentary about the thefts.
"The evening will feature a special panel of individuals who have been part of this story since the 1980s and a screening of The Thief Collector at 5:30 pm, the riveting documentary that dives into the couple responsible for the 1985 Harwood heist," reads the museum's Facebook post.
In addition to the FBI, museum officials credit amateur historical crime researcher Lou Schachter with uncovering the location of the paintings, in the estate of New Mexico school teachers Jerry and Rita Alter.
"Without his sleuthing, this artwork would never be back where it belongs," Harwood Marketing and Development Associate Sylvia Tawse told the Taos News in an interview.
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