These days people tend to steal everything, from cars, to money and even art pieces. In fact, art theft alone seems to be a business worth more than 6 billion dollars a year in the United States alone. So, because of this, there is the FBI Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Art Crime Unit.
They are not focusing on physical art theft alone, they are also focusing on identifying frauds and scams that art sellers are trying to perform. For example, there are a lot of very well made, but fake, art pieces that are passing hands for the money that only the original would be worth. That, in its’ own, can be catalogued as theft and is punishable under federal law. So, if you plan on investing hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even more, in any type of art piece, make sure that you first have it tested properly to ensure it is the real thing. While the fake ones that are made very well are worth some money as well, they are not even close to the amount that the original is worth.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Art Crime Unit has managed to return almost 30 percent of the art pieces that were stolen over the last 5 years to their rightful owners. This amounts to almost 1 billion dollars worth of paintings, statues and other important art pieces. However, they are making an appeal to anyone that is buying or selling expensive art pieces to verify and make sure that the art pieces they are trading are not or have not ever been stolen. For this, the Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Art Crime Unit has a list of all the art pieces that have been declared stolen for you to check.
They are not focusing on physical art theft alone, they are also focusing on identifying frauds and scams that art sellers are trying to perform. For example, there are a lot of very well made, but fake, art pieces that are passing hands for the money that only the original would be worth. That, in its’ own, can be catalogued as theft and is punishable under federal law. So, if you plan on investing hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even more, in any type of art piece, make sure that you first have it tested properly to ensure it is the real thing. While the fake ones that are made very well are worth some money as well, they are not even close to the amount that the original is worth.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Art Crime Unit has managed to return almost 30 percent of the art pieces that were stolen over the last 5 years to their rightful owners. This amounts to almost 1 billion dollars worth of paintings, statues and other important art pieces. However, they are making an appeal to anyone that is buying or selling expensive art pieces to verify and make sure that the art pieces they are trading are not or have not ever been stolen. For this, the Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Art Crime Unit has a list of all the art pieces that have been declared stolen for you to check.
Topics: FBI Art Theft, FBI Art Crime Unit, Missing A Masterpiece, www.fbi.gov
Related: art frauds, identify leonardo davinci paintings, painting technique
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