Art Bandits Have an Eye for Hart Sculptures

Thieves with an unusually discerning eye have been targeting Fredrick Hart sculptures at galleries in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach.

Last month, Laguna’s Richard Thomas Gallery was hit for an $8,900 piece. In the last decade, Newport’s Lahaina Gallery has had eight of Hart’s sculptures stolen, the most recent theft coming six months ago. Local shopkeepers say that since Hart’s death last year at age 55, the temptation for thieves has increased along with the price of his works. They now range from $3,000 to $500,000.

“They walk in during business hours, take a piece and walk out,” said Callie Crosetto, director at Lahaina Gallery.

Police said the thieves usually work in teams. While some members of the group distract the sales staff, one takes a sculpture. While police have yet to determine if this is a crime ring, two Los Angeles men have been charged in connection with the theft of a Hart sculpture at Lahaina Gallery.

Two years ago, William Moran, 52, and Francisco Araya, 51, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit theft. The men allegedly walked into the gallery with three accomplices and tried unsuccessfully to take a sculpture.

Newport Beach Police Sgt. Mike McDermott said Moran’s trial ended in a hung jury last month, but prosecutors plan to retry him. Araya also faces a court date, McDermott said. If convicted, each man could be sentenced to up to four years in prison.

McDermott said art thefts are rare in Newport Beach, let alone multiple thefts of the works of one artist.

Because Hart’s sculptures--with their soft light-catching quality--are popular among buyers on the West Coast and in Hawaii, the thefts are concentrated in these regions, said Sharon Flesher, director of the New York-based International Foundation for Art Research, which specializes in art theft prevention and authentication of works.

“In 1998, there were thefts in Carmel, Laguna Beach and San Diego,” Flesher said. “In Vail, Colo., someone shoplifted three Hart sculptures from a gallery.”

Because of the Laguna Beach theft, police there are planning to warn other galleries in the city.

“Someone’s either got a good market or a hell of a collection,” said Laguna Beach Police Lt. Danell Adams.

A South Carolina native, Hart was best-known for the “Creation Sculptures” at the National Cathedral in Washington. Hart also created the “Three Soldiers” bronze statue at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington.

Hart’s work is celebrated among sculpture aficionados for having lifelike and dreamlike qualities. Although he usually worked with bronze, Hart also used transparent acrylic.

“Obviously, there’s a black market out there,” said Mark Hamlett, director of the Richard Thomas Gallery. “They’re organized and savvy. In the past, Erte was hot. It just seems to be whoever’s popular.”

The black market for art rakes in millions of dollars annually. There are Web sites, a special FBI division and other organizations devoted to recovering lost or stolen art or warning galleries about buying stolen pieces.

However, Robert Chase, president of Sculpture Group Limited in Chicago, which distributes Hart’s work to galleries nationwide, has a different view of the thefts.

“I wish Rick were here for me to tell him people like his work so much,” Chase said. “In a way, it’s a tribute to him.”

Chase became Hart’s patron after seeing his work at the National Cathedral. When he saw the drafts for the “Creation,” Chase said he felt a “life force” emerging and was compelled to share the artist’s work with others.

Still, local gallery owners aren’t flattered by the attention of art thieves and are at a loss about what to do. While police have advised store owners to increase security, some are reluctant because they are concerned it will make customers uncomfortable, Adams said.

Having lost eight Hart sculptures to thieves, however, the Lahaina Gallery was only too eager to follow the advice to increase staff and be more watchful of activity in the store. But store officials don’t know whether the steps will discourage thieves.

“There’s not much we can do,” Crosetto said. “The one rare time I saw a guy, I ran after him and he dropped the piece.”

Hamlett agreed, saying, “Thieves are thieves, and when they want something, they’re going to get it. There’s nothing you can do about that.”