The director of the Springfield Art Museum likens the recent theft of seven Andy Warhol screen prints to the loss of a loved one.
In a brief address to the media Tuesday, Nick Nelson said the museum is working with authorities in hopes of retrieving the items, part of Warhol’s famous Campbell’s Soup collection.
“The theft of these iconic Warhol prints the museum has had in its permanent collection for 30 years feels like the loss of a family member.”
Set number 31 of the Campbell’s Soup I collection is valued at approximately $500,000.
Captain Vance Holland with the Springfield Police Department said the museum was burglarized during the early morning hours of April 7.
The FBI is leading the investigation, and offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen artwork. According to the FBI, each painting in the screen print collection measures 37 inches high by 24.5 inches wide and is in a white picture frame.
Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI Springfield office at 417-882-3303 or the Springfield Police Department TIPS line at 417-869-TIPS. Individuals may also contact their local law enforcement agency.
The FBI has a specialized Art Crime Team of special agents supported by special trail attorneys to recover stolen items and prosecute art and cultural property crime. The team investigates theft, fraud, looting and trafficking across state and international lines, according to the FBI. The agency also runs the National Stolen Art File, a computerized index of stolen art and cultural properties that is used as a reference by law enforcement agencies worldwide.
KSMU's Randy Stewart contributed to this report.
Copyright 2020 KSMU. To see more, visit .
