The Spanish National Police has recovered the fourth of the five works of Francis Bacon (1909-1992), stolen in Madrid in 2015 and valued at around 30 million euros. This recovery represents the penultimate chapter of an investigation that has lasted for almost a decade, which is considered the largest theft of contemporary art that occurred in Spain.
He June 25, 2015several people entered the house of Joseph Capelopartner and heir of the Irish painter Francis Bacon, located in the Plaza de la Encarnación area of Madrid, and took four portraits and a self-portrait of the famous artist. During this robbery, a safe containing several collections of coins, jewelry and other valuables was also stolen. The criminals took advantage of the absence of Capelo, who was in London at that time.
He March 15, 2016, police sources confirmed for the first time the robbery investigation. In February of that year, investigators received an email from a private British entity dedicated to searching for stolen or missing works of art. The message reported a query made by a resident of Sitges, Barcelona, about one of the stolen paintings to verify if it was listed as stolen.
For him May 28, 2016, the Police announced the arrest of seven people related to the robbery. It was the analysis of the photographs of the oil painting intended to be sold, which allowed the investigators to find the camera model used, locate the rental company and thus identify the lessee of the equipment, who turned out to be one of the alleged thieves. Along with this individual, another alleged perpetrator was arrested near the first person’s home. An art dealer from Madrid, Cristóbal and his son, were also detained, as well as three other people who had been shown photographs of the works to gauge their interest.
He January 31, 2017, the Police arrested three other people linked to the robbery, members of an organized group specialized in robberies of homes and establishments throughout the country. After these arrests, the investigation continued.
He May 10, 2017the work Study for a portrait of José C. 1989 It was found in a house in Madrid, hidden under a wooden construction. A little more than a month later, on June 23, 2017, two other paintings were found in a basement of a building, in a counter room.
He July 19, 2017, the Police announced the recovery of three of the five stolen paintings thanks to the collaboration of one of the ten people arrested during the investigation. These works were returned to their owner, Joseph Capelo.
In January 2021the Dutch detective Arthur Brand, known as “the Indiana Jones of art,” denounced an attempt to sell the two remaining paintings and shared videos and photos showing the original paintings on his social networks. Brand warned: “The partners of the original thieves are trying to sell them for 4 million euros and are already in contact with interested buyers.” By making the images public, he hoped to deter potential buyers.
He November 26, 2021a Madrid Criminal Court sentenced four individuals to a fine of 3,600 euros for trying to sell the stolen paintings, although they were not accused of material theft of the works.
He June 21, 2023, Arthur Brand, in an interview with EFE, revealed that he had once again frustrated the attempt to sell the two Bacon paintings that were still missing. “They’ve taken a break, I think, and now they’re trying to sell them again. Half a year ago I found out through an informant I have in Germany that they were offered there. And then someone called me from a hidden number asking if I knew those Bacons and if there was a reward offered for them. I told them there was no official reward, and they hung up,” Brand explained.
Finally, the April 29, 2024, the National Police arrested two people for alleged receipt, proving that the two missing oil paintings, valued at 5 million euros each, had passed through their hands. According to police reports the next day, fourteen people have been arrested since the investigation began in 2015. However, to date, the location of the fifth and final stolen Bacon has yet to be discovered.
Source: EFE
[Fotos: Madrid Film Office; Grosby Group;Niklas Hallend/AFP]
