[MSN] Canada. Famed artist's work stolen; Norval Morrisseau's paintings taken from seniors home where he lived for two years

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Famed artist's work stolen
Norval Morrisseau's paintings taken from seniors home where he lived for two
years
  
Paul Walton 
Daily News 


Thursday, December 06, 2007


Just eight months before the death on Tuesday of famed Canadian painter
Norval Morrisseau, two of his paintings hanging at Nanaimo Seniors Village
were stolen.

Morrisseau, considered to be one of Canada's leading artists. lived at the
facility between 2004 and 2006, until going to live with a Nanaimo couple.
They reported the theft on May 16 of this year.

RCMP spokeswoman Const. Jen Allan said that at the time, the paintings were
valued at $20,000. She said they investigated and interviewed all staff with
connections to Morrisseau and anyone else known to visit the facility.

The case then went cold.

"The thief or thieves were not revealed and the file was concluded," said
Allan.

There was little more that could be done by police. "It's impossible to
interview everybody who works at the facility or who may have visited
there," said Allan.

Shortly before the thefts, on May 9, the owners of Nanaimo Seniors Village,
Retirement Concepts, cancelled its contract with the care provider at the
facility, Care Source Solutions, and layoff notices were given to 168
employees. It was the third layoff since 2004.

Allan said there is no reason to suspect staff members committed the theft.

Morrisseau, 75, suffered from Parkinson's disease and died in a Toronto
hospital on Tuesday.

PWalton at nanaimodailynews.com