‘Significant quantity’ of costly art stolen from Newfoundland home

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Art thieves have made off with at least a dozen valuable artworks from a home in St. John’s, N.L.

Police say the “significant quantity” of stolen works include American landscape painter Robert Wood’s “The Maine Coast,” prominent Newfoundland artist Christopher Pratt’s “6 cents” as well as pieces by Newfoundland still-life artist Helen Parsons-Shepherd, Spanish artist Juan Giralt Lerin and French painter Antoine Blanchard.

“Numerous pieces of valuable artwork were stolen …. A full inventory list is still being compiled,” the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says in a press release.

Const. Geoff Higdon said in an interview Friday police aren’t disclosing the value of the stolen art “at this time.”

The theft happened sometime between April 18 and May 17, when the break-and-enter was reported to investigators.

Police say a full list of the stolen works is still being compiled.

“We are still in the early stages of this investigation and it’s not clear whether or not the break and entry was centred around the art or not,” Higdon said.

“There were other items taken during the break and entry, we are still working to finalize a list of those items as well as all of the art taken.”

Police are asking members of the public to come forward if they know the whereabouts of the stolen artwork or the identity of the thieves.