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Paintings by Top Artists Stolen From California Home

Published: September 30, 2009
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.—A multimillion-dollar collection of artwork stolen from a rented home in California’s ritzy Pebble Beach contained pieces by Jackson Pollock, Edgar Degas, Rembrandt, and Renoir, the Boston Globe reports. The work was stolen from Ralph Kennaugh and Angelo Amadio; the two are partners in a business that involves buying and selling art, though the pieces in question were from their personal collections. The losses were officially valued at $27 million, though that figure dates from a 2002 insurance appraisal, meaning that actual values could be higher today. One Jackson Pollock piece is said to be worth over $20 million alone.

Kennaugh and Amadio believe that the heist was carried out by professionals, as only a handful of people knew the extent of their collection. They also noted that not a single reproduction was taken, though there were a few that only a very skilled eye could discern. The two are offering a $1 million reward for the return of the unharmed artwork, and a $5 million reward for its return in conjunction with evidence that leads to the thieves’ arrest.

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