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HomeTopicsArts and CulturePolice still stumped year after $1 million art heist

Police still stumped year after $1 million art heist

It sounds like a subplot from “The Thomas Crown Affair.” Thieves broke into a home on Feb. 25, 2013 and purloined several paintings, carefully cutting them out of their mounts, leaving the decorative settings to frame the empty wall.

The victim claimed the 17 stolen pieces by Costa Rican painter Rafael Solís were worth approximately $1 million.

More than a year later, the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) have yet to turn up the works.

According to OIJ spokesman Marco Monge, investigators have also not had any luck locating $300,000 worth of paintings by another famous Tico artist, Rafael Fernández, stolen in September, 2013.

The Tico Times previously reported a rash of thefts in late 2010, also of Fernández paintings. To date, none have been recovered and the investigations remain open, Monge said.

OIJ asks that anyone with information about the stolen paintings call the confidential tip hotline, 800-8000-645.

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