Police announced Saturday that they have found the two 8-feet-tall sculptures, together valued at $2.1 million, that were stolen during a brazen art heist in Anaheim last weekend.
“Thanks to tips from the community, the sculptures were found last night at a home in Anaheim,” stated a spokesperson for the Anaheim Police Department. “There has not been an arrest made yet, but they would like to thank the community for their assistance.”
The theft happened on June 14 or 15, according to police, at a warehouse near Tustin Avenue and the 91 Freeway, and investigators believe heavy equipment – including forklifts – was used to carry it out.
“Due to the nature of the items that were stolen, it looks like somebody knew they were there and went there with a purpose,” said Sgt. Matt Sutter, spokesperson for APD. “This doesn’t happen often here in Anaheim. It’s a relatively quiet area.”
The stolen sculptures, created by renowned artist and filmmaker Sir Daniel Winn, are not only highly valuable but also extremely heavy. According to a representative for the artist, one of the pieces reportedly weighs about 2,000 pounds, while the other is even heavier at 4,000 pounds.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Winn believed the pieces were possibly stolen by an unscrupulous collector, but that an art recovery expert suspected the art would be destroyed for scrap metal.
“Typically, these sculptures, when we do exhibitions, take about a dozen men and two forklifts to move it and a flatbed or a truck to carry it,” Winn told the Times. “This is not an easy task.”
Winn, according to the Times, is a Vietnamese refugee who owns the Winn Slavin Fine Art gallery on Rodeo Drive and was appointed earlier this month as Art Commissioner for John Wayne Airport. He’s considered a blue-chip artist, meaning his work is highly sought after and has a high monetary value.
“These are my children,” he said to the Times of his individual works. “I have no physical, organic children. Every artwork I create is my child.”
The unusual theft has raised concerns about warehouse security, especially in industrial areas that house high-value items. Police are urging local businesses to install surveillance cameras or security systems to help prevent similar crimes in the future.
Details are limited; police did not provide any more information about the home where the stolen sculptures were found, nor did they provide any suspect descriptions. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact Anaheim PD detectives.
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