FBI and Interpol alerted: Springfield Art Museum official says Warhol prints stolen

Prints of Andy Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans" were stolen from the Springfield Art Museum this week, according to the chair of the museum's board.

"We're shocked and totally saddened," Sally Scheid said.

Someone broke into the museum and stole artwork between 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and 8:45 a.m. Thursday, police spokeswoman Lisa Cox said. The FBI and Interpol have been notified, she said.

Scheid said she spoke with the museum's director about the theft and was not sure how many prints were stolen or if any other artworks were stolen.

An online database of some of the museum's permanent collection indicates Springfield Art Museum's 10 Andy Warhol soup can color screenprints were made by the artist in 1968.

The museum acquired them in 1985 in a gift by Ronald K., Robert C. and Larry H. Greenburg.

In 2015, a similar 1968 color screenprint from Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup I” series sold for $30,660, according to the website of London-based art auction house Christie’s.

Cox declined to say exactly what was taken but confirmed some artwork was stolen.

The museum's developing and marketing coordinator, Josh Best, said the museum is open, although one exhibition — The Electric Garden of Our Minds: British/American Pop — is closed because of the investigation.

According to the museum's website, the exhibit included prints of Andy Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans" and Eduardo Paolozzi's "General Dynamic F.U.N." portfolio.

Eduardo Paolozzi's "General Dynamic F.U.N." is a portfolio of 50 photolithographs and screenprints published in 1970. Individual prints from that set were recently listed at about $280 to $850 apiece by U.K.-based Gerrish Fine Art.

The museum is a department of the City of Springfield funded by property taxes, according to Cora Scott, a spokeswoman for the city. Scott noted that many pieces of artwork are donated to the museum.

Scott said that all the works at the museum are covered by a fine arts insurance policy that has annual premium of $14,045.

"We are still researching whether or not there has ever been a loss of artwork in the past," she wrote in an email. "There hasn't been an incident in any recent history. We are constantly working on improving security measures and find it a challenging balance with keeping art accessible to the community. We appreciate the outpouring of support we are already receiving from our art patrons."

Jerry Berger was the museum's director from 1988 until his retirement in 2010. He said, as best as he could recall, during his tenure there were never any break-ins at the Springfield Art Museum.

Nick Nelson is the museum's current director. In a press release from the museum, he said: “The museum is working with the proper authorities and being proactive in our security efforts as we remain open to the public. We are confident that the measures we are taking will protect the museum’s treasures, while still making art accessible to our community."

Scheid has been the chair of the board since June 2014 and a member of the board since 2010.

She said the theft felt like "an invasion of the trust" the museum has in the community.

As part of an accreditation process, the museum has been working on an emergency preparedness plan for the last six months, she said. Scheid said part of that process has been to review the museum's security systems. She said that the new emergency preparedness plan has not yet been completed.

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