Spain: Thieves Like Art…Lots of It!

Approximately 150 art thefts occur yearly in Spain, reports El Pais. The majority of the

works stolen are paintings, including two paintings by Diego de Velázquez stolen from The Real Madrid Palace in 1989. In the last 15 years there have been over 7,000 art thefts, with approximatly over 500 stolen artworks still to be recovered by Spanish authorities (although they do mention a 2001 recovery of two Goyas). The majority of thefts occur in churches, private homes, auction houses and art museums. As if this wasn’t enough, authorities have to deal with a second problem stemming from these thefts: forgeries! Spanish authorities believe that the market for forgeries is growing, amplified by unscrupulous art experts more than willing to authenticate fake Warhols, Picassos, and Dalis.