Poland has managed to return 11 stolen works of contemporary art that were transported from Kyiv to Switzerland during the evacuation at the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine. This was reported by the Prosecutor’s Office in Przemyśl.
Details of the incident:
The works of art were stolen on the night of 24-25 March 2022 during a stopover in Przemyśl, Poland. During the robbery, 10 paintings and one photograph by artists such as Damien Hirst, Banksy, Takashi Murakami, Linda McCartney and Xingning Shi disappeared. The total value of the stolen works exceeds $186,000.
Investigation:
The return was made possible by the efforts of the International Investigation Team, established in the framework of cooperation under the auspices of EUROJUST. The investigation team included:
- From the Polish side: the prosecutor of the district prosecutor’s office in Przemyśl, police officers from Rzeszow and Warsaw.
- From the Ukrainian side: the Director of the Department of the Office of the Prosecutor General and members of the National Police of Ukraine.
Determining authenticity:
On 9 December 2024, after almost three years of investigation, the works were found and returned. The originality of the works was confirmed by foreign experts specialising in contemporary art.
The importance of the return:
The return of the artworks is a significant victory for the art community and demonstrates the effectiveness of international cooperation in the fight against cultural crime. This event also underlines the importance of protecting cultural heritage, even in difficult conditions of war.
