Stolen €5m Francis Bacon painting found in Spain

The painting was one of five stolen in Madrid in July 2015

Spanish police have recovered a €5m Francis Bacon painting that was stolen from banker José Capelo’s Madrid home in 2015. The artwork is part of a set of five portraits created by Bacon, who was friends with Capelo. Three of the stolen paintings were previously recovered in 2017. Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the theft, which has helped authorities locate the missing painting.

A total of 16 arrests have been made since the heist, including those believed to be responsible for the crime. The stolen paintings, valued at €25m, are considered to be the largest contemporary art theft in Spain, with a safe containing jewels and coins also taken. Authorities are continuing their investigation to recover the remaining artwork and apprehend suspects linked to Eastern European organized crime groups.

Francis Bacon, born in Dublin in 1909, was a leading figure in modern art and passed away in Madrid in 1992. His works have sold for record amounts, including his 2013 painting Three Studies of Lucian Freud, which sold for $142m.

J.Larson

Jeffrey Wood, Guilty plea for stealing Winston Churchill portrait from Ottawa hotel

Winston Churchill, 1941 by Yousuf Karsh. This photograph of Britain's wartime prime minister came to define the resilience of the British people. (Yousuf Karsh)

Jeffrey Wood, the man responsible for stealing the renowned portrait of Winston Churchill from Ottawa's Château Laurier hotel during a COVID-19 lockdown in late 2022, pleaded guilty to three charges in court on March 14, 2025. These charges include theft over $5,000, forgery, and trafficking in property obtained by crime. Wood admitted to replacing the original portrait with a fake, despite the hotel’s frame being secured with special bolts that required specific tools to remove. The theft occurred sometime between Christmas and New Year's Day in 2022, but it wasn't noticed until August 2023 when a hotel employee realized the portrait had been swapped out.

The stolen portrait, given to the hotel in 1998 by famed photographer Yousuf Karsh, became the center of a complex, international investigation. After the portrait was sold through a London auction house, it was found in Genoa, Italy, where the buyer unknowingly purchased the stolen piece. Authorities were able to trace the sale back to Wood, who had received over $4,500 for the stolen artwork. Investigators also found a poster print of "The Roaring Lion" in a storage locker, with DNA evidence linking Wood to the crime scene.

Despite the theft's global nature, Wood’s motives were tied to personal struggles. During court proceedings, Wood explained that he committed the crime to support his brother, who was overseas at the time. However, his brother tragically passed away shortly after the theft. His lawyer, Lawrence Greenspon, described the crime as one of “love,” not greed. Wood had also made plans to leave Canada around the time of the theft, which was part of his larger plan to sell the stolen portrait.

Jeffrey Wood arrives at the Ottawa Courthouse on March 14, 2025. He would go on to plead guilty to three charges, including theft and forgery, for stealing a portrait of Windston Churchill from the Château Laurier hotel. (Chris Tanouye/The Canadian Press)

Wood, a 44-year-old from Powassan, Ontario, had worked in various jobs, including as a bank teller and at the Rideau Canal Festival and the Ottawa Jail Hostel. He had also spent time living in Mexico, where he had moved shortly after the theft. Wood’s defense team argues that he should serve his sentence in the community, while prosecutors are pushing for a nearly two-year prison sentence. The final sentencing is set for April 14, 2025.

J.Larson

Drent Museum Theft - Three Arrested In Bold Heist Of Ancient Gold Artifacts

In connection with the robbery, three suspects have been arrested in Heerhugowaard, a city located about 114 miles from Assen. However, despite the arrests, the stolen artifacts have yet to be recovered. Local police are continuing their investigation and have released the names and photographs of two of the suspects, Douglas Chesley Wendersteyt and Bernhard Zeeman, in hopes of gathering further information about their movements and any connections that could lead to the recovery of the stolen items.

Police have identified a third suspect, a woman, but have not disclosed her name and are not ruling out the possibility of additional individuals being involved.

The Gold Helmet of Cotofenesti remains missing after being stolen from the Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands, during a robbery on Saturday, January 25, 2025. Thieves used explosives to break into the museum and steal four priceless artifacts, including the 2,500-year-old helmet, which is a national treasure in Romania.

The theft is considered a significant loss for Romania, as the helmet is an irreplaceable symbol of their heritage.

“The safe return of the stolen artifacts would be a fantastic next step for all involved," the Drents Museum said in its own statement. “Not only for us, but especially for the Romanian people.”

The thieves stole priceless archaeological artifacts, including this 2,500-year-old gold helmet considered a national treasure in Romania. -J.Larson