SCOTTSDALE, AZ — A California man has been arrested in Scottsdale after an attempted fine art gallery burglary.
Just before 6 a.m. on Sunday, the Scottsdale Police Department received a call from an employee at the American Fine Art gallery reporting someone had broken in. The employee showed up at the business after receiving an alarm call.
According to court documents, when the employee entered the gallery they found several pieces of artwork missing from the walls and heard a voice upstairs of someone talking on the phone.
When officers arrived, they spotted a white BMW in the alleyway of the business with a California license plate. An emergency access ladder was seen lowered from the building directly above the car.
Officers set up a perimeter and used a drone device to locate a man on the roof, along with several pieces of artwork scattered throughout the area. The man had a face mask, gloves, and different tools including a small drill, a flashlight, a glass-break tool and various other items, according to documents.
Art employees confirmed to police that seven pieces had been removed from the walls, with a total value of about $250,000. Some of the pieces included works from Picasso and Andy Warhol.
On January 7th, officers responded to an art gallery where an alarm was activated, with a possible subject still inside.
— ScottsdalePD (@ScottsdalePD) January 11, 2024
Using the drone, the suspect was located and placed under arrest by Scottsdale PD. Art valued at around $250,000 was scattered throughout the rooftops. pic.twitter.com/NUabYQBr3k
The suspect has no known ties to Arizona and is on felony release from California for a burglary on December 28, 2023. He is also listed as a convicted felon of burglary and theft, according to documents.
No other details have been released.
