[MSN] Australia. Museum Theft. A freedom of information request has revealed the brazen theft of a $1.4 million Dutch masterpiece from the Art Gallery of NSW in June was not its first heist.

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National
Thieves targeted NSW art gallery beforeSource: AAP Author: AAP Posted: Mon 6
Aug, 2007 
 
A $1.4m work by Frans van Mieris stolen from the gallery is not the first,
according to a report.


A freedom of information request has revealed the brazen theft of a $1.4
million Dutch masterpiece from the Art Gallery of NSW in June was not its
first heist.

Thieves unscrewed Cavalier, a $1.4 million self-portrait of 17th Century
Dutch master Frans van Mieris from the gallery's wall and simply walked out
the door during the June theft.

But News Limited reports a freedom of information request has uncovered an
embarrassing second robbery in 2004.

The gallery confirmed a wood carving of a pink magnolia by Tokyo-based
artist Yoshihiro Suda had also been stolen.

Gallery staff noticed the work, worth $35,000, missing and reported it lost.

"It is still missing, it has never been found," a gallery spokeswoman told
the paper.

http://www.villagevoice.com.au/