 |
 |
Internationally known artist Robert Wyland is asking for the public's help in getting one of his most prized paintings back.
The painting, valued at nearly $700,000 was stolen from "Wyland Galleries at Waikiki Beach Walk" around 7:20 Sunday night.
The gallery director says it's one of the gallery's most valuable paintings.
Witness Nicole Mokiao had a weird feeling when she saw a beat up truck pass her hostess stand twice Sunday night.
Soon after, her manager, who was on a break, came running towards her.
"Basically he seen everything. He seen the guy take the painting down from the wall. He seen him put it inside the truck, he said he didn't put it gingerly in the truck he just kind of threw it and left," she said.
The painting titled "Dolphin Dawn" is a published original that Wyland painted for the millennium.
And it was huge, four feet by six feet.
The painting was hanging at the entrance of the gallery.
The guy came in he had to go over our table, and lift a four foot by six foot painting framed in the koa wood solid koa lift it up and get it in the truck. And then drive away so it was pretty bold and brazen," said Iris Katsura, the gallery's director.
Mokiao says a woman was driving the truck. "She was a local lady, heavy set really kinky ehu color hair, the guy was, local guy had a mustache, had tinge of gray in his mustache, I seen missing teeth. He was wearing a black t-shirt."
She also got a good look at the truck, which has license plate number: 6-6-8 Q-something-C. "It was a GMC truck late 80's early 90's, it was a bluish teal truck it had black patches on it I wasn't sure if the paint was pealing or if it was spray painted," Mokiao said.
"The president of our company spoke to Wyland (Monday) morning and he's very saddened by the whole thing he just wants the painting back," saud Katsura.
Wyland is offering a $2,000 cash reward, or an original brush stroke painting for information leading to the safe return of the stolen painting.
If you have any information, call Wyland Galleries in Waikiki or Honolulu police.
by: Marisa Yamane |
 |
 |
|