Reposted from CTV News

Police are searching for a “bold” thief who stole an oil painting from a Calgary art gallery in the middle of the day.

Yves Trepanier, co-owner of the Trepanier Baer Gallery, said a well-dressed man came in and toured the gallery at around noon on Wednesday. He said the suspect spoke with several staff members who explained the exhibit to him and showed him around.

“It’s very bold,” Trepanier told CTV Calgary on Friday. “I mean this is broad daylight, this is over the lunch hour, this is three people talking to the person – the suspect – and he somehow managed to fool us.”

The gallery owner said they believe the suspect took the painting from the wall between 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. that day.

The small oil painting by Kingston, Ont. artist Mike Bayne was titled “TP, Headphones, Laptop, Brushes” and portrayed the artist’s workspace. Trepanier said the piece is worth $12,000.

“It was a small little intimate painting measuring four by six inches in black and white,” he said. “[It was an] absolutely wonderful little thing.”

Trepanier said he is shocked and disappointed they didn’t see the theft and intervene. He said staff called police as soon as they noticed the painting was missing.

The gallery also notified the Art Dealers Association of Canada so the organization could alert the art community, which includes sellers, appraisers, and auction houses.

“We're hoping it will be harder for this person to sell the painting if that’s the intent,” Trepanier said. “Selling artwork, stolen artwork, is not an easy thing to do.”

Trepanier said he gave the gallery’s surveillance video to police to help the investigation.

The gallery had insurance on the stolen painting and the artist has also been informed of the theft, Trepanier said.

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