Works of art worth J yen 150 million/ U.S.$120 million/£65 million, stolen from Nara museum
Wednesday, January 3, 2007 at 19:12 EST
NARA — A total of 23 works of art estimated to be worth around 153.6 million yen have been stolen from Yamato Gyokusenkaku museum in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, police said Wednesday.
The stolen works from the privately-run institution include a scroll picture by Japanese painter Okyo Maruyama (1733-1795) valued at 50 million yen and 12 scroll pictures by two other Japanese painters — Taikan Yokoyama (1868-1958) and Gyokudo Kawai (1873-1957). Two plates, three vases and a water pitcher made by Japanese potter Kenkichi Tomimoto were also stolen.
The museum was closed after an employee locked the doors at around 4:20 p.m. Tuesday, according to the police. When an employee reported to work at around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, the entrance door on the first floor and a glass window of an exhibition room on the second floor were found burst open and the exhibits were gone, the police said.
Art Hostage comments:
Seems like this could be the Japanese version of the Gardner art Heist.
Hope the FBI Art crime team are packing as we speak, before going to Japan to offer their assistance.Possible that a Japanese version of Whitey Bulger will be offered these works of art in the near future.
Art Hostage recommends that the first suspect must be the Japanese "Yazuka"Gangster who orchestrated the the big art theft in France some years ago, having been in prison there, and after making contact with a art crime gang. His name escapes me for the moment, but he was convicted of handling the stolen artworks, when they turned up in Japan I think.
If no breakthrough can be made initially, then the Japanese Whitey Bulger will succumb to a sting involving our very own, FBI Agent "Billboard Bob Wittman"
To be prepared for this future Japanese sting, "Billboard" Bob Wittman has been on the horn to "Dairy Queen" and ordered large helpings of ice cream.Once Billboard Bob Wittman has gained the necessary weight, he can then move into character as a Japanese/American Sumo size art collector for the sting to get back the stolen art.
For those who know FBI Agent "Billboard" Bob Wittman, the visual of him wearing a sumo outfit will be a source of amusement.
Upon another note, it will be interesting to see how pragmatic Japanese authorities are in trying to recover the stolen art.
FBI Art Crime Team Head for strategy meeting over Japanese Gardner Art Heist
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