Vance Theoret was paid a sa国际传媒渂ackhanded complimentsa国际传媒� last week when two of his sculptures were stolen from a Kelowna art gallery.
Theoret, 100 Mile Housesa国际传媒檚 resident soapstone carver, said the theft occurred around 2 a.m. Saturday morning at Gallery 421. When he called the gallery that weekend, co-owner Ken Moen jokingly told him sa国际传媒淚 sold a couple of your sculpturessa国际传媒� before explaining what had happened.
sa国际传媒淚 said to him sa国际传媒楾hatsa国际传媒檚 not the way I like to sell my work,sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� Theoret said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 always a backhanded compliment when someone is willing to take the chance of getting caught to steal your work.sa国际传媒�
While hesa国际传媒檚 upset by the theft, Theoret said his loss is small compared with the artwork stolen from other artists. All told the thieves made off with about $70,000 worth of art, mostly bronze sculptures by his friend Vilem Zach from Calgary. The thieves busted into the gallery, located at 560 Raymer Avenue, using a yellow crowbar before escaping with 11 pieces of fine art.
Moen, whosa国际传媒檚 owned Gallery 421 for three years, said the thieves pried the front door open with a crowbar and spent less than four minutes in the store. They took seven works belonging to Zach and fellow bronze sculptor Michael Hermesh, two of Theoretsa国际传媒檚 soapstone carvings and some blown glass pieces by Jeff Holmwood.
sa国际传媒淚t was very targeted. On their first trip into the gallery they got the pieces they were targeting at the back of the gallery. The second time in they went to the middle of the gallery and the third time in they grabbed pieces right by the front door,sa国际传媒� Moen said. sa国际传媒淭hat alarm didnsa国际传媒檛 phase them at all, they knew how quickly they were going to be in and out.sa国际传媒�
Theoret said his two pieces are worth $700 and $400 respectively.
This isnsa国际传媒檛 the first time Theoretsa国际传媒檚 work has been stolen but he said itsa国际传媒檚 still upsetting, especially in a town like Kelowna. Moen told him hesa国际传媒檚 in the process of alerting all the secondary markets in Western Canada where the art could be resold.
sa国际传媒淔or me, itsa国际传媒檚 not traumatic as it would be for Ken and Kelly, the gallery owners, and for my friend Vilem, but sometimes this happens,sa国际传媒� Theoret said.
Despite the theft, Moen said they feel lucky there was no vandalism in addition to the theft. No paintings were slashed with knives and no windows had to be replaced. He said theysa国际传媒檒l add some more security cameras outside the store and reinforce the door to prevent further theft.
sa国际传媒淲e wish Vance the best. Itsa国际传媒檚 unfortunate some of his pieces were stolen but we know hesa国际传媒檒l be able to carve us some more,sa国际传媒� Moen said.
Gallery owner Kelly Hanna told Black Press that Kelowna RCMP is currently looking for the two individuals. The first man is identified as a 5sa国际传媒�10sa国际传媒�, medium-build individual, who was wearing a grey hoodie, blue pants and white shoes. The other thief is being labeled as a 5sa国际传媒�6sa国际传媒� male, who was seen wearing a dark hoodie and black Adidas shoes.
Hanna says that the stolen art weighs a total of 315 pounds. Saturdaysa国际传媒檚 heist marks the second time in as many years that Gallery 421 has been the subject of such an incident.
patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
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