Man charged with burglary in Minneapolis art theft
A Minneapolis man is accused of stealing $50,000 worth of art from a North Loop studio.
According to a criminal complaint, surveillance video showed two suspects arrived at the gallery with an empty cart around 6:45 a.m. on June 2, one of them wearing a UPS vest. About half an hour later, they left the gallery with the cart loaded and covered in a black sheet.
A "concerned citizen" called police and identified one of the suspects, the complaint said. Police searched a storage unit in St. Paul rented by the suspect and found the missing art.
The man faces one count of third-degree burglary and is not in custody.
The studio and art belong to Leon Hushcha, who immigrated to the United States from Ukraine in 1949. He's been making art for six decades and sells it all over the country.
The returned paintings, with police evidence tags still attached, will be part of Hushcha's upcoming show in September.
"Part of me is sort of happy that it happened because it made me think about what is it I've been doing for 60 years, what does it mean to me," said Hushcha.
Four paintings, plus dozens of smaller prints and ceramic art are still missing, he said.
"I'd love to know are those hanging in his bathroom? Does he have those in his house? What is he doing with them?" said Huscha's assistant, Carley Novak.
Huscha said he doesn't know the suspect. He's left with one big question: Why?
"Were there any pieces you really liked? Were there any pieces you really felt close to? And what possessed you? I mean you could have had a cup of coffee with me and I would have given it to you for 20 percent off," said Hushcha.
Hushcha and his assistant told WCCO at the time of the theft they did not know how the thieves entered the gallery. They later learned the thieves broke in through the back door by prying it open. They used the fire escape to transport the art pieces.
"When I saw the emptiness, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I laughed because that protects me from reality," Hushcha said. "This is the first time I've ever seen in the Twin Cities an art heist. That is unheard of."
