[MSN] 18th-, 19-century paintings stolen from St. Charles antique store

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18th-, 19-century paintings stolen from St. Charles antique store 
BY JOSH STOCKINGER
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Friday, July 28, 2006 

   
 
It's like something out of a classic caper flick.

Two 19th century paintings carefully removed from their frames - another,
circa-18th century, mysteriously vanished from a locked cabinet.

Art collector Jerzy Wozniak believes this much: The thefts at his St.
Charles antique store didn't happen overnight.And the culprit wasn't dumb. 

"He's somebody who knew (art). He knew very well because these paintings
were very interesting, very unique," the 52-year-old Chicagoan said, adding
that the pieces weren't the most expensive in his store.Wozniak first
discovered June 18 that a painting was no longer hanging on a wall in his
shop, Antique Market III, 413 W. Main St. He initially brushed off concerns,
thinking it might have just been moved. 

But then another went missing from the same wall, prompting an inventory
check only to find a third gone from the locked cabinet. Later, two empty
frames were found behind a stack of other paintings. 

St. Charles police are investigating the crimes, believed to have taken
place between June 18 and Sunday, apparently during business hours.
Meanwhile, Wozniak is surfing the online auction site eBay and browsing area
flea markets. 

"This is the first time someone took my nice paintings. To me, it's a
definite surprise," said the longtime collector, in business less than two
years. 

Wozniak says the paintings, which average 10-by-7-inches in size, are worth
about $4,500 total. He knows locating them might be difficult. 

One is a 19th century Spanish piece depicting people and animals on a beach.
The oil-on-canvas painting is untitled, however, and is not signed. 

The other 19th century work is of German heritage and shows what Wozniak
says is a "barbaric" image of farmers or hunters painted in oil on wood. It
also has no title, but is signed with the name E. Deffuerga.

The third, and perhaps most recognizable, work is a portrait from the 18th
century of Saint Francis of Assisi, who is depicted writing his memoirs. 

That piece is oil on metal and was taken along with its frame. It was
removed from a locked cabinet that is hard to open and didn't appear
tampered with. 

Wozniak said he doesn't suspect employees, but believes a culprit came to
his shop one or two times to plan and carry out the thefts. He has no idea
how the two bulkiest items - the wood and metal pieces - left the store
unnoticed. 

St. Charles police spokesman Paul McCurtain said it was the first report of
painting thefts in the city that he could recall. 

"It's even rare that we get somebody stealing from antique stores,"
McCurtain said. 

Wozniak hopes to get the paintings back, no doubt. 

Meantime, he's thinking surveillance video cameras might not be a bad
investment. 

http://www.dailyherald.com/