Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Valuable paintings stolen

Two Mickey Mouse masterpieces worth combined $800,000

"Seaside Romance" was one of two Mickey Mouse paintings stolen from a Strip art gallery. PHOTO COURTESY OF LASSEN GALERIE The Mickey Mouse painting "Sorcerer of the Seas" was stolen from the Lassen Galerie on the Strip. PHOTO COURTESY OF LASSEN GALERIE

The way Paul Olson sees it, the thief who recently stole two Mickey Mouse paintings from a local art gallery may be clueless as to their worth. Combined, the acrylic paintings of America's most storied cartoon character are worth nearly $800,000.

"They're not just Mickey Mouse paintings; they are masterpieces," said Olson, who works at the Lassen Galerie on the Strip, where the booty was swiped Sept. 15. "My worst fear is that someone who stole them doesn't have any idea what they are worth.

"They could have sold them for $100 or $200. ... Or, whoever was dumb enough to do something like that is dumb enough to trash it."

Which is why Olson hopes the thief is an art collector who appreciated and admired the original paintings, which are called "Sorcerer of the Seas" and "Seaside Romance," in which Minnie Mouse joins Mickey on the beach.

The 30-by-20-inch paintings, which took about six months each to make, were done by popular marine artist Christian Riese Lassen in 1994. Unlike their reproductions, the originals were done on Trovicil, not canvas.

"Somebody that knows art will never trash it," Olson said.

Las Vegas police are on the case. If investigators can't identify or track the suspect, they at least want to alert the public to the missing paintings. This awareness, police believe, will hinder the thief's ability to sell the paintings on the black market.

"It's not something he can put on eBay or go down to the local art gallery and try to sell," said Detective Jon Morris of Las Vegas police Retail Crimes unit. "No matter where this person turns to try and sell this painting, it's going to be very difficult."

Morris declined to answer questions about possible suspects or any facts surrounding the crime.

Olson, who has worked for several decades in art galleries, said the paintings are believed to be the most expensive Mickey Mouse works in the world.

He said the heist is the most serious he has witnessed, and it has lowered morale at his gallery.

"We're all devastated," Olson said. "Everybody is down. ... I've been in the business 40 years, and this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me."

But there is cause for optimism: Olson and Morris say such prestigious paintings are usually recovered.

There is just one problem.

"Sometimes it takes years to get the artwork back," Olson said.

Anyone with information about the stolen Mickey Mouse paintings can contact Las Vegas police at 229-3573 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.