More than 900 art pieces returned after massive seizure at Oak Bay, B.C., gallery
Police say hundreds of pieces of artwork have been returned to their rightful owners after Saanich police seized more than 1,000 works from a gallery in Oak Bay, B.C.
The pieces were seized in mid-April from Winchester Galleries after police received reports of suspicious behaviour coming from the gallery's art dealer.
Artists told police that the dealer was selling their artwork then ceasing communication with them and not paying them what they were owed for the sales.
On April 28, police said they had seized more than 1,000 art pieces from the gallery, which investigators said were collectively valued at tens of millions of dollars, and were looking to return them.
On Wednesday, police said more than 900 of those pieces had been returned to their rightful owners – ranging from B.C., Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes to as far as Washington state.
More than 200 pieces remain unclaimed, however, and police are looking to return the art.
"The return of the art has been a labour-intensive process but an overall success, as we have been able to return over 75 per cent of the pieces we seized," said Const. Markus Anastasiades in a statement.
"We attribute this success to the media coverage and attention this file received, as well as the art community across the country spreading the word to one another," he said.
"We’re still hopeful we will be able to return all of the pieces we have."
Anyone who thinks their art may be among the items seized can contact the Saanich Police Department at art@saanichpolice.ca[.]
No charges have been put forward yet, though police say the investigation is ongoing and that police are looking into multiple charges of fraud and false pretense against the art dealer.
"This is a stunning example, in the Canadian art world, a dramatic example of an egregious breach of trust," said Anita Blackwood, wife of David Blackwood, in April.
Blackwood was one artist who was affected by the art seizure. Other high-profile pieces included three paintings by Emily Carr.
David and Anita Blackwood are pictured. (Peg McCarthy)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.