[CPProt.net] Gallery reports theft of a Miro

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

Gallery reports theft of a Miro

By By JAN SJOSTROM, Daily News Arts Editor

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Jay Halperyn hoped to receive $27,500 in exchange for Geometric Design, a
1939 Joan Miro watercolor. Instead, he said, he's left with a name and a
company, both of which may be bogus, a cell phone number and an empty space
on the wall.

Halperyn, owner of Style de Vie gallery at 404 Hibiscus Ave., said the man
he suspects stole the painting - at around 1:15 p.m. Sunday from the gallery
- posed as a buyer for private collectors.

About a month ago, a white man in his mid- to late 30s, about 5 feet 10
inches tall and of medium build, came into the gallery accompanied by an
older woman, the dealer said. Halperyn said the man gave his name as Matt
Nelson and his company as Sebastian Art. He claimed to live in Phoenix, but
his cell phone number had a 310 California area code, the dealer said.

After that meeting, the two exchanged several phone calls. The man returned
to the gallery on Saturday accompanied by a young woman, Halperyn said. The
man narrowed his selection to three works, including the Miro, and said he'd
return on Monday, the dealer said.

On Sunday morning, Halperyn found a message on his answering machine
requesting that they meet at the gallery at 1:15 p.m., he said.

Halperyn said he arrived at about 1 p.m. and unlocked the door. At 1:15
p.m., the man called him, saying he'd be there in 15 minutes.

A minute or two later, Halperyn, who was in the gallery's back room, saw the
man enter the gallery. "I gave him some time to look around," the dealer
said. A short time later, he saw the man leave. He did not see him carry the
picture out of the gallery.

When he came into the gallery's front room, he noticed that the painting was
missing. He called the man, who claimed to be having trouble finding the
gallery. They continued to exchange calls.

"I was trying to get him back over here," the dealer said. After a few
minutes, Halperyn called the police. "I had one ear on my business phone
with the police and the other ear on my cell phone with this man," he said.
The man hung up.

Palm Beach police spokeswoman Janet Kinsella declined to give details,
because the investigation is ongoing.

This is the first time in the gallery's four years in Palm Beach that a work
has been stolen, Halperyn said.

"It's always about the money," he said. "But I don't like being scammed."