Stolen Rembrandt Recovered in Encino Church

A Rembrandt drawing worth about $250,000 that was stolen from the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Marina del Rey over the weekend has been recovered from a church-owned building in the 17000 block of Ventura Boulevard in Encino following an anonymous tip, officials said early Tuesday.

Encino Patch has been able to confirm that the painting was recovered from , located at 17114 Ventura Boulevard. Patch spoke to Father Michael Cooper of the church, who declined to comment.

The night shift watch commander at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Marina del Rey Station received information about 6:30 p.m. Monday from an anonymous tipster about the location of the quill pen and ink drawing known as "The Judgment," said sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore at a press conference. Deputies went to the publicly accessible Encino church building and found the drawing in plain sight, Whitmore said.

The drawing by Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn was positively identified early Tuesday by its owner, the Linearis Institute, and remained in sheriff's custody as the investigation continues, Whitmore said.

Detective Clarence Williams, wearing white gloves, held up the framed drawing for television cameras Tuesday morning and the sheriff's department planned to dust the frame for fingerprints and use outside experts to also verify its authenticity, Whitmore said.

"It doesn't appear to be damaged or touched," Williams said.

No arrests were made but investigators have several leads they are pursuing, Whitmore said. Authorities planned to release a sketch and still images from surveillance video of a suspect in the art theft later this week.

The drawing was on exhibit at the swanky Ritz-Carlton waterfront hotel and was stolen Saturday night between 10:20 p.m. and 10:35 p.m. when a curator was distracted by another person. The roughly 10-inch by 6-inch drawing was dated circa 1655.

Whitmore said media publicity surrounding the theft may have prompted its apparent abandonment at the church.

"I think it's remarkable that it came so quickly to us and that's because of the press, no question about it," Whitmore said.

Tom Mashberg, co-author of the new book Stealing Rembrandts, said in an email that by his tally it was the 82nd time a Rembrandt had been stolen worldwide in the past 100 years.

Stealing Rembrandts co-author and art theft expert Anthony M. Amore said in a statement that it was easy to predict the work would be returned.

"It follows the pattern we have identified in many previous Rembrandt robberies. The criminals, most likely local thieves, quickly realize that they have taken a 'hostage' that no one wants to buy," Amore said.

"Their dreams of quick money are dashed against the hard fact that there is simply no market for famous stolen art. There is no 'Dr. No' figure willing to buy such works for his selfish enjoyment. That notion is a myth."

Anyone with further information was encouraged to call the Marina del Rey sheriff's station at (310) 482-6000.

–City News Service contributed to this report.