NCJ Number
87851
Date Published
1983
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Museums and galleries should prepare for possible theft of art works by preparing a thorough description of each inventory item, and this description should accompany a report of theft, which should include a wide circulation of a description of the stolen item among groups involved in the marketing of art objects.
Abstract
The description of each art item should include the artist's name, title of the work, the medium, the dimensions, the edition, a detailed description of the work, and a photograph of it. In the event of a theft, the various law enforcement agencies having jurisdiction (an issue that should be determined beforehand) should be notified along with the insurance company. Persons in law enforcement having particular expertise in art theft should be determined beforehand and contacted personally in the event of a theft. A notice of the loss should be prepared immediately; this should not be left to law enforcement personnel. In addition to sending a notice of theft to law enforcement, dealers in the immediate area who buy and sell items of the type taken should be notified. For wider circulation of the loss, send a notice to any relevant publications that are circulated among major dealers and collectors of the type of item stolen. Professional organizations associated with the art world should also be requested to forward the notice of loss to their memberships. Certainly notice of loss should be sent to the Theft Notice Service of the Art Dealers Association of America, which is believed to have the largest archive of information on stolen art and distributes monthly notices of stolen and missing art work. The names and addresses of other organizations that might be contacted are also provided.