Two signed paintings from renowned artist Damien Hirst were stolen after a thief broke in with a crowbar into the Exhibitionist Gallery between 2:20 - 3 AM of December 9.
Authorities have stated that the alarm did not go off, which paved the way for the thief to walk in and out undetected but the theft was caught on tape. Moreover, the multi-colored dotted pieces, entitled called Pyronin Y and Oleoylsarcosine were believed to have been specifically target. The police are presently asking witnesses to step forward.
The Exhibitionist Gallery asked for Damien's works, as they wanted to pull in big names and have worked hard at convincing Damien's agents to allow the gallery to hold and sell the works. "We opened in September and it was a bit of a coup to get the Hirst artworks. We had them for four days and then they were stolen," gallery manager Nathan Engelbrecht states. His "heart sank" after receiving the call from the police that the paintings were stolen.
"It took us a few weeks of negotiations and to have them stolen is really disappointing. They [Damien Hirst's representatives] have been understanding that these things do happen," he continues.
A spokesman from the Metropolitan police stated that they believe there is only one person behind the art heist who hopped into a dark colored hatchback and drove towards Ladbroke Grove.
Pyronin Y is measured at103cm x 116cm, which was created by Hirst in 2005 and is currently worth £15,000. Oleoylsarcosine is measured at 67cm x 89cm, created in 2008 and is now tagged at £18,000.
Damien Hirst rose to fame when he was awarded with a Turner Prize in 1995. He was also part of the group Young British Artists and became popular for his unorthox use of preserved animals in formaldehyde.
According to the Daily Mail, apart from the alarm failure, during the heist, there were delivery men right across the gallery outside the restaurant.
Authorities are now studying the CCTV footage and have yet to capture the thief.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
