LOCAL : Art Reportedly Worth Million Taken in Van Nuys Robbery

An armed robber stole about $1 million in original paintings and other artworks from a Van Nuys art distributor, authorities said today.

Police said Robert Silver, 44, part-owner of Eagle Limited, told them an armed man in a black mask tied him up in his office along the 7000 block of Sophia Avenue about 8 p.m. Monday. More than 1,000 works from three artists were taken, police said. Also stolen were Silver’s watch and the delivery van owned by the artists agency and arts publishing house.

Police said the robber may have had accomplices but Silver saw only the masked man. Silver said he was tied to a chair in his office during the robbery. After the suspect left, Silver said, he managed to take off a shoe and dial 911 with his toe. He was found by police about 11 p.m. unharmed but still tied to the chair.

Janet Klein, director of marketing at the 3-year-old firm, said only works by artists Ramon Lombarte, Sonya Fe and Roberto Chichorro were taken. They included three original oils by Lombarte with an estimated retail value of $78,000 and hundreds of lithographs and serigraphs worth from $1,000 to $2,500 each, she said.

Hundreds of other works were left untouched in the warehouse-style business.

Police said there were no suspects in the case.