Getaway Van Used in Art Robbery Is Found

Avan used as the getaway vehicle in last week’s robbery of a Tarzana art gallery has been found, but the suspects are still at large and none of the valuable paintings and lithographs have been recovered, Los Angeles police said Wednesday.

The abandoned van was found Tuesday on Old Topanga Canyon Road, about 10 miles from the art gallery, Visual Environments, in the 19500 block of Ventura Boulevard, Detective Robert Johansen said.

Two gunman used the vehicle, which is owned by the art gallery, to make their escape last Wednesday after taking about $280,000 worth of art work, including paintings by Salvador Dali, Johansen said.

The armed men entered Visual Environments at about 1 p.m., tied up the owner and a bookkeeper, and ransacked the gallery for about 25 minutes before stealing the van and driving off, he said.