Agents of the FBI under the guise of investigating the theft of works of art

ARTinvestment.RU – 28.08.2008,06:59

FBI Agent Robert Wittmann. Source: online.wsj.com

the morning of fourth day of June, the Law of the Sea coast in the vicinity of Marseilles, three men were driving. This truck had the priceless paintings by Claude Monet (Claude Monet), Alfred Sisleya (Alfred Sisley) and Jan Bruegel (Jan Brueghel), which they intended to sell a U.S. art dealer. In August last year, these works were stolen from the Museum of Fine Arts in Nice . The criminals broke into the museum in broad daylight and threatening the staff weapon, took off the picture on the walls. Soon they came out the same art-dealer, who offered for the masterpieces of $ 4.6 million in cash. Meanwhile, the June day of the criminals were going to meet with the French mediator of the dealer, who was to take the pictures and send them money. But in place of assignation robbers waited not a Frenchman, a dozen police cars.

Operation of the capture of criminals headed by Colonel Pierre Gendarmerie Report Card (Pierre Tabel). When the brave French police rounded up looters, the colonel called from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. «We have them!» - Joyous roar Report Card to the telephone handset.

called him to none other than the Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Robert Wittmann (Robert Wittman). He invented a cunning trap for the robbers, having decided to play the role of the mysterious American art dealer. Upon learning of the operation is completed successfully, Wittmann said, this event mug of coffee on the porch of his house while his wife slept.

Agent Wittmann - one of the biggest in the world's experts on the disclosure of crimes related to theft and forgery of works of art. He is working under cover. During his career 52-year-old agent has managed to portray a lot of light-fingered art dealers and get acquainted with many criminals. The cost of all works of art found Wittmann, representing 225 million U.S. He «rescued», in particular, such things as self-portrait by Rembrandt (Rembrandt) and the first edition of the Bill of Rights.

Works of art are becoming more expensive, and the criminals - all in flagrant. They also bolster the fact that even the most famous treasures are protected by not too well (remember abduction of the two most famous paintings by Munch (Edvard Munch) . - Ed. ). Jennifer Teveno (Jennifer Thevenot), employee non-profit organization International Council of Museums, of 1900 museums and galleries around the world, said that criminals «new formation» became very aggressive. Previously, they acted like in the movies «Pink Panther»: wearing gloves, under cover of night to steal a museum. Now they break there during the day, waving a firearm and grab everything of value, breaking the frame and the port of canvases.

Most of the stolen works of art sent to America: tamoshny black art market is considered the largest in the world. Its turnover is estimated at 6 billion dollars last year in the list of missing or stolen works, which is the London company The Art Loss Register, there were 16 117 paintings, sculptures and other objects kanuvshih into oblivion in the U.S.. A year earlier, there were slightly fewer - 14 981. That is, the number of thefts of works of art is constantly growing. A means to combat them is allocated less. For the U.S. economy came hard times, and the government prefers to spend money to solve a «critical» problems. This summer, the city of New York cut the amount allocated to the improvement of security systems of museums, at $ 4 million

For many years the only FBI agent who worked under cover, was Robert Wittmann. But now the bureau is preparing a squad of crime fighters who can, if necessary, to represent trusting rapacious art collectors and dealers. Prosecutors and law enforcement officers are very happy that, but, nevertheless, often express doubt: but whether these agents in a short time to become as professional as Wittmann? Indeed, very soon they will have to take his place: the end of the year, the famous agent will retire on.

Get an idea of how it works Wittmann, you can, remembering the recent capture of French swindlers. The operation began in August last year, immediately after the attack at the Museum of Nice. FBI agents in Miami received information that, near the city of Fort Lauderdale a jailbird named Jean Bernard Ternyus (Bernard Jean Ternus) sells paintings by art dealers. Wittmann came into contact with Ternyusom submitting a dealer from Philadelphia, which buys the products of the Impressionists and the old Dutch masters «no matter what origin». Wittmann and Ternyus met on several occasions. Once together, they even drank champagne on the yacht. In January, they met in Barcelona - this time there were podelniki Ternyusa, which he asked «closer» to Wittmann. It turned out that one of the participants in a robbery earns a living selling motorcycles, the other gives out the bulldozers. Wittmann was able to enter the criminals in confidence and even make friends with them. He introduced them with his «colleague», which was tasked to meet with the robbers on 4 June and to exchange pictures for money. As we already know, the mediator was an agent of the French police. So criminals are caught in a trap. Their leader Ternyus was charged and pleaded guilty shortly. The verdict, he will be sentenced September 18 in Florida. His podelniki captured in Marseilles, awaiting trial in France.

Robert Wittmann calls his work «incredibly stressful». Many say that it is similar to the actor, but an FBI agent do not agree with that: it is at its disposal only a «double», and he has no right even to the slightest mistake. «We need to remember all that you ever said to [the offender. - Ed. ]», - he said. Colonel Report Card, observing the actions of Wittmann throughout the investigation, which lasted 10 months, the agent calls the «living legend».

Of the few FBI agents who want to look for the kidnappers of the paintings. Of course, the loudest of theft or falsification of widely publicized in the press, they removed TV and movies, but the FBI investigation of such crimes have always been considered as something far less important than the fight against terrorism, banditry and drug trafficking. Since agents who know how to investigate the «art-crime» guise, until recently, been in trouble at all: only five years ago, there are some changes, but before this all makes one Wittmann. Even in the capital of Art New York, looking for stolen works of the agent, who works without a cover - an expert on disclosure of major thefts, James Wynne (James Wynne).

Alfred Sisley. Topolinaya alley in the Moreh. One of the works stolen Ternyusom Jean Bernard and his podelnikami. Source: online.wsj.com

During the 15 years Wittmann was the sole agent of the FBI under the guise of investigating a crime in the sphere of art. But after a terrible scandal involving theft of treasures from the National Museum in Baghdad, he decided to convince his superiors that it is necessary to skolotit team of agents that can engage the same as he. Then, five years ago, stolen Iraqi artifacts were all hearsay. In seeking to determine who supplied the ancient east in the United States, the FBI was working with the customs authorities and the Middle East. Bureau staff have begun to spread on the official site pictures of stolen works. One Marine brought eight stones with florid ornamentation - he bought them as souvenirs, and only then learned that the stolen artifacts. That crime has shown that Wittmann can not and should not work alone - in the theft of antiquities Baghdad was involved a lot of people, and one agent under the guise it would be impossible to cope. His initiative supported by several agents involved in the search for works of art. They decided that the need to assemble a squad 10-12 people who can engage in investigations across the country, and, if necessary, to travel to other countries. These agents must work in the offices of the FBI, and in conjunction with the disclosure of thefts of works of art to investigate other crimes.

In the struggle for the establishment of the «Art-squad» Wittmann gave the following argument: in the size much smaller than the U.S., such teams have long existed, and they do not dissolve, in spite of economic difficulties. In London Scotland Yarde, for example, four «art detective», although 20 years ago they were 14. In France there are 30 of these detectives, and in Italy - the whole 300. They are even patrol, helicopters overfly at places where the archaeological excavations.

Most agents invited to the team itself Wittmann. It was determined the annual budget, as well as salaries «art detective» - about 100 thousand dollars per year each. Shortly after the establishment of group agents investigating crimes involved. Three years ago in St. Louis Frank Brostrom (Frank Brostrom), explosive and previously worked as a specialist in observing systems, caught a criminal who tried to sell a forged Rembrandt painting for 2.8 million U.S. Brostrom cheated unfair trader, a buyer prikinuvshis - Sheikh from Saudi Arabia. That reliable portray a rich Muslim, it vest in the traditional ceremonial attire.

Agent under the guise of investigating the theft of works of art - not the most prestigious position in the FBI. Jeffrey Kelly (Geoffrey Kelly), «art detective» from Boston, said that other agents joke on him when he saw a book on Renaissance art with photographs from the scene. Frank Brostrom, previously worked at the unit investigating serious crimes involving violence, says that his companions are also constantly trying to joke and to present his book on art. But he does not complain: this book really helped him in the work.

FBI agents recorded in the «art squad» for two reasons: either they love art, or admired, Robert and James Uinnom Wittmann, a former banker who now works at the New York office. In the squad are even those who are not very long worked under the cover. For example, the former Los andzhelessky Attorney Christopher Kalarko (Christopher Calarco) came to «art-squad», having all six of experience in the FBI. None of the agents do not have any art or art education or experience with art. Kalarko says that he even had to look for old notebooks, where he was a student, recorded the lecture on the history of art.

Self-portrait by Rembrandt, found in Copenhagen. Source: online.wsj.com

Wittmann believes that agents of the «Art-squad» must fully understand the art market, including in the black market. They should be able to distinguish the engraving of aquatint, a palette of provenansa and genuine masterpieces - from skillfully executed fakes. (For example, a 300-year-old is always covered with a sheet of thin pautinkoy treschinok, which is very rarely seen on the surface «falshaka ».)

In his youth Robert Wittmann penny in the antique store in Baltimore, belonged to his family. His father taught him not only sell, but to really appreciate the old things. When Wittmann in 1988, came to the FBI, he was sent to work in offices located in the east of Philadelphia. His career began with the investigation of crimes such as hijacking of trucks and robbing jewelry stores. But soon he began searching for the kidnappers of works of art. Over the years, that Wittmann has worked in this field, he managed to earn a decent reputation. He was able to reveal a large number of high-profile crimes. For example, in 1999, Wittmann has helped to arrest a lawyer from Atlanta who tried to sell over 1.2 million U.S. headdress legendary Indian leader Geronimo (Geronimo). Dress was decorated with feathers of Bald eagle, which traded in the U.S. is prohibited. Two years earlier, he had confiscated made 2 thousand years ago the Peruvian armor, which brought the country one of the Panamanian diplomats.

Wittmann works in Philadelphia, and every week, calling on his fellow «art-group of» from other states to be aware of their investigations. Sometimes he meets counterparts on issues of art. Once he had to fix the agent, who called Picasso Impressionists. «I did not want to embarrass him, so I just said to him:" Usually people call it the great modernists "», - he says.

Members of «art-team» went to New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Santa Fe, which met with the directors of the security of museums, art dealers and art historians, who told them a lot of useful information. Green, Amy (Amy Green), a museum employee O'Kiff Georgia (Georgia O'Keeffe) in Santa Fe, where FBI agents arrived in the past year, noted that they just might make the rest of museum visitors. «We are here all the dresses are very simple, but they came in ties», - she said.

expert on cybercrime from Chicago, Brian Brusokas (Brian Brusokas) says that it is very surprised to learn that 80% of museum thefts are not organized looters and museum. He and other agents of the «Art-squad» frequently attend regional museums, where familiar with the scientific workers and custodians - those who have access to the collections are much more likely than «mere mortals». Brusokas said that if the location of the crime - a museum, it needs to be surveyed is not so, such as an apartment. For example, to remove any of the fingerprints, you want to remove it from the dust, but a work of art in a way you can spoil. Therefore, agents take fingerprints using portable fluorescent light bulbs.

To the best of Christopher Kalarko «training» was investigating a loud stolen three years ago. Los andzhelessky FBI squad dealing with the fight against organized crime, arrested came from Eastern Europe, in whose safe-deposit box at the pawnbroker stored picture Auguste Renoir (Pierre-Auguste Renoir). Kalarko found that the work was stolen from the National Museum of Fine Arts in Stockholm. Together with her stolen Rembrandt self-portrait, estimated at 36 million U.S. people, whose picture is found safe Renoir, helped the FBI to go to the thieves in Sweden. In order to get a picture by Rembrandt, had to work under cover. Kalarko attracted to the investigation Wittmann, who has played the role of mediator. According to legend, he bought the painting for a collector of works by old masters, ready to pay cash for working with dubious provenansom.

That autumn FBI agents, police and the robbers crossed at a hotel in Copenhagen. In one of the rooms Wittmann met with one of the criminals and showed him the bag, which had 200 thousand dollars (stodollarovymi bills). Robbers did not know that in a room installed hidden cameras and that Kalarko overseeing all originating from room floor above. After some time the offender left the room, but soon came back - with «Rembrandt» campaign in the bag. The painting was still in a museum frame. Wittmann When satisfied that it true, he said: «As the hands!» That phrase was contained in the sign for the FBI agents and police officers who rushed into the room and arrested the robbers. Wittmann grabbed the picture and ran to the staircases, where he waited Kalarko. Latest recalls that saw saved «Rembrandt», he said: «That is why I went to this work».

Wittmann said that the main problem of «art-squad» - constant rotation of personnel. In fact, agents of the team, not only to investigate crimes related to the black market for art. When they increase in office, time to «art-crime» they have almost no remains. For this reason, withdrew from the squad at least half the agents.

James Wynne said that you can not hire a team of agents, only to have them under the guise of communicating with the kidnappers of works of art. He believes that an FBI agent should be able to do something else. «Never thought that the work under the guise of light wedge came down - he says." - Here I meet with bad guys when they were interrogated ».

Many associate the work of the FBI agents investigating the theft under the guise of art, something glamorous. But Robert Wittmann said that his work is much more stark prose. He also likes to show the public the true face of criminals. In April Wittmann agreed lectured donors Philadelphia Museum of Art, on the condition that they would not photograph him. He showed the audience pictures «glamor» kidnappers art of Hollywood movies, such as the heroes of Cary Grant (Cary Grant) to «catch a thief» and Pierce Brosnan (Pierce Brosnan) in «fraud Thomas Crown», then the images of these robber - gloomy lesson with unwashed hair. Seeing the reaction of the audience's surprise, he usmehnuvshis, uttered: «I beg your pardon, ladies».

Sources: online.wsj . com , directorinfo.ru , artinvestment.ru