A centuries-old Japanese Buddha statue worth $1.5 million was stolen from a Los Angeles art gallery last week — and the heist was caught on camera.
The 250-pound bronze sculpture was pulled from the Barakat Gallery in Beverly Grove around 3:45 a.m. on Sept. 18, the LAPD said.
“I really appreciate it,” Fayez Barakat, gallery owner, told KTLA.
“I had it in my back yard and when I moved into this gallery, I put it in the back yard of the gallery for everyone to admire and enjoy.”
Security footage showed the thieves pulling up to the gallery in a moving truck, Barakat said. The driver steps out, opens the entrance gate and enters the gallery, video showing. He then used a dolly to load the statue onto the truck before driving away.
The theft of the ancient statue happened at night.Youtube/KTLA 5
The entire robbery lasted about 25 minutes, the owner of the gallery said.
The statue dates back to Japan’s Edo Period (1603-1867), Barakat said. It is believed to have been commissioned for the center of a temple.
Barakat said he acquired the unique artifact more than 55 years ago.
The thief was seen using a dummy to load the statue onto a truck before driving away.Youtube/KTLA 5
“We have 200 objects in there, but this is our gift,” said Paul Henderson, the gallery’s director.
“I don’t think there is anything else like it on the market anywhere. It’s four feet tall, it’s hollow cast bronze and it’s an amazing piece. It’s really aesthetically pleasing and it’s shocking to see something like this go away.”
Barakat said he believed the theft was planned, as the sculpture was prominent in the gallery’s outdoor space.
Art gallery owner Fayez Barakat believes the Buddha statue was specifically targeted.Youtube/KTLA 5
Hundreds of other valuable pieces were skipped in favor of the Buddha – the only item stolen.
It would be difficult for thieves to sell the pieces, Henderson said.
“Because it’s an ancient artifact, there’s no place where you can sell this piece,” he told the outlet. “You can’t go to the market. You can’t take it to a pawn shop and sell it for a few thousand dollars, it’s just not possible. So, it’s very interesting. It’s like a museum robbery type thing where, what are you going to do with these objects now? We were all very curious and really puzzled, to be honest.”
Barakat hopes law enforcement can recover the statue before something happens to it.
“I hope the person who stole it did not steal it for the bronze weight because it is a historical item,” said Barakat. “I am heartbroken. Whoever steals, maybe that person understands the value. Maybe they assigned someone, some kind of thief, to keep stealing it.”
No arrests have been made, according to the LAPD. Police said they are canvassing the area for additional security camera footage.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
