A stolen Picasso print was recovered after a landlord found it while cleaning out an apartment.
Why it matters: The recovery closes a yearslong art-theft mystery and delivers a rare, concrete win in an unsolved case. It also underscores how stolen high-value art can surface in ordinary places years later.
- Bill DeLind says the signed Picasso print 'Torero' was stolen from his Milwaukee gallery in 2018.
- Tim Dertz said he found the framed print while cleaning out a vacant apartment and turned it over to police.
- AP says 'Torero' is one of 30 known to exist.
- Milwaukee police said theft and property crimes generally have a six-year statute of limitations, but the case is still under investigation.
Bill DeLind said he was stunned when police called last week about an artwork a local landlord had found while cleaning out a vacant apartment. DeLind later recognized it as the Picasso print stolen from his Milwaukee gallery in 2018.
The recovered work is a signed Picasso print titled Torero, which AP says is one of 30 known to exist. At the time of the 2018 theft, DeLind said it had been appraised at between $35,000 and $50,000.
Landlord Tim Dertz told WISN-TV he found the framed print while clearing out an apartment of someone who had been evicted. He said it was dusty and hanging in a strange spot. After showing it to an antique dealer friend who believed it was a Picasso and resembled the stolen work, Dertz turned it over to police.
DeLind said, "I was overwhelmed." He also said, "It was indeed mine." AP reported the artwork remains in the possession of Milwaukee police while DeLind and the client who commissioned it for sale work through an insurance issue.
Milwaukee police said the statute of limitations for theft and property crimes is generally six years, though the case remains under investigation. AP noted that police have not publicly explained how the print moved from the 2018 theft to the apartment where it was found.
By the numbers
- 30 - AP says that is the number of known Picasso prints titled Torero.
- $35,000-$50,000 - DeLind's appraisal range for the print at the time of the theft.
- 6 years - Milwaukee police said this is generally the statute of limitations for theft and property crimes.
Yes, but: Police have not said how the stolen print ended up in the apartment, and no suspect or arrest has been identified.
What's next: Milwaukee police said the case remains under investigation. DeLind and the client who commissioned the sale are working through an insurance issue.