[MSN] Scotland Yard Art Sleuth Slaps Museums for Lax Daytime Security

[MSN]

Scotland Yard Art Sleuth Slaps Museums for Lax Daytime Security

By Linda Sandler

Feb. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Dick Ellis, a London-based art-crime consultant who
used to head Scotland Yard's art squad, comments on this week's armed
robbery at the E.G. Buehrle Collection in Zurich. He spoke in a telephone
interview.

On museum security:

``Now that museums have tightened up on nighttime security, they have to
know how to secure objects while they're on view, when there are people in
the gallery.

``They have to make it as difficult as possible for works to be removed. The
Munch painting that was stolen in 1994 (a version of ``The Scream'') was
displayed adjacent to the window. It made for ease of theft.''

On gun crimes at museums:

``Gun crimes are increasing with art theft, and the trend is for criminals
to hit museums and galleries when they're open to the public. Insurers
stipulate secure rooms, safes and alarms, and in the U.K. the government
indemnity program requires a museum to be able to withstand 20 minutes of
attack.

``So criminals go when it's easy, when they're open to the public. And the
trend is to use sufficient violence required to get the painting.''

On gun crimes that have been solved:

``In 2000, there was a well-orchestrated robbery in the National Museum in
Stockholm. The criminals had two cars in strategic locations bringing
Stockholm to gridlock and blocking police access to the gallery. They
entered the gallery with arms, using the threat of violence, removed three
paintings -- one of them was a Rembrandt -- and made off with them in a
high-speed van.

``The first painting was recovered in a drugs operation. It had been used as
an exchange for drugs. The second was recovered during an FBI investigation
of a crime syndicate in Los Angeles, and the third turned up in
Copenhagen.''

On the biggest unsolved art crime:

``The 1990 theft at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.'' Thieves
dressed as Boston police officers stole 13 artworks by Vermeer, Degas,
Rembrandt and others valued at a total of about $300 million.

To contact the reporter on this story: Linda Sandler in New York at
lsandler at bloomberg.net .
Last Updated: February 12, 2008 14:55 EST

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