Collector who reported Warhol paintings stolen has tough words for LAPD

Richard L. Weisman, the noted art collector who made news recently when he decided to forgo a multimillion-dollar insurance policy for stolen art, had some critical words for the LAPD detectives investigating his case.

“Maybe if they would do their job … and spent some time looking for the art instead of being accusatory of the person who had it stolen, they might actually find it,” Weisman said in an interview last weekend.

The art world was set abuzz in early September with word that a series of original works by Pop Art icon Andy Warhol had been stolen from the walls of Weisman’s home on Los Angeles' Westside.

None of the other expensive artwork hanging on adjoining walls was disturbed, and there was no sign of forced entry into the home. In all, 11 brightly colored silk-screen paintings were gone -- 10 portraits of famous athletes and one of Weisman, 69, who was a friend of Warhol's and commissioned the series in the late 1970s. 

Some experts estimated each piece to be worth at least $1 million. Then, last week, the Seattle Times confirmed with Weisman that he had canceled the $25-million insurance policy covering the Warhols. LAPD Det. Mark Sommer, who makes up half of the department’s two-man art theft detail, called the turn of events “curious” in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, saying that “we’d like to talk to him about it."

Sommer added that he and his partner, Det. Donald Hrycyk, a veteran art sleuth, had been unable to track Weisman down for an interview. Weisman interpreted the comments as implying that he had a hand in the paintings’ disappearance as part of a scheme to defraud Chartis, the insurance company that issued the policy.

“The idea that I would steal from myself is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” he said. He went on to say he had nothing to hide from police but would not speak to them because his attorneys had advised him against it.

Weisman also reiterated his reason for dropping the insurance payout, saying he would rather do without the money than go through what he said would be the invasive prying of insurance company officials into his personal matters during their investigation into the theft.

“It’s really no one’s business – my phone records, my ex-wife’s, my son’s. I don’t want to put them through all that.... Money isn’t everything.” Sommer declined to comment when told of Weisman’s retort.

-- Joel Rubin

Photos: LAPD

Comments

[jay]

I'm with the cops, this smells funny, just like the case up in Carmel.

[JohnZ]

So it was worth over 11 million dollars for the art collector not to have to deal with the LAPD? I'd say he got off cheap. the real value is probably closer to 20 million not to have to talk to the crackerjack police team, (all 2 men), the LAPD had to offer. The funniest part was that these veteran 'sleuths' couldn't even find the millionaire. He was most probably hiding out at the police station.

[John L. Mendez]

As a Christian, I work diligently on not Judging others, lest I be judged by the standards I apply. Therefore, I sincerely pray for Richard L. Weisman and that as far as it depends on him, he live in peace with everyone... including the LAPD department’s two-man (Det. Mark Sommer and Det. Donald Hrycyk) art theft detail.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

[Cleo Watts]

As a black man, my take is that innocent people have no reason to fear speaking with the police. Especially, rich, innocent people. An attorney tells you to be quiet when he fears that you will throw up on yourself, thus, confessing to the crime you probably committed.

Cleo

[Natalie Lumet]

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..." - the sound of the LAPD's Art Recovery Squad hard at work. Got Donuts?

[Douglas Frost]

This is too funny - he says his attorneys told him not to talk to the police about a multi-million dollar theft? Hope he doesn't have any real trouble at this house in the next, oh, fifteen years or so...the police may take a long time to get there...

[Andrew]

Ha. He's so guilty. He tried to scam his insurance company, assuming the police would just take a report, give the file number and walk away ... and now that his plan's been foiled, he's trying to take the "money isn't everything" high round. Really? If it weren't, you wouldn't have taken out insurance policies in the first place. The LAPD should charge him with filing a false police report.

[Dave]

I think this guy is up to something, if not the theft of the paintings, then something else. That's alot of money to give up just so the police don't look at you.

[David]

Two person LAPD art "squad"? Half of that former squad was a cop just arrested and charged w/ murdering her ex's girlfriend. Maybe LAPD doesn't exactly put their creme de la creme into the arts.

[Norman Rogers]

I can't say that I blame Mr. Weisman for not wanting to have the LAPD go through his affairs, trying to blame the victim and burn through overtime so that they can find a way not to figure out who stole the artwork. Someone targeted the collection and went for it, en masse, and the logical place to look to is anyone with complete collections of seminal works by Andy Warhol, which would be a select few bigwigs. This was a crime of covetousness, not so much monetary gain or greed, because no one can sell the works now.

By waiving the insurance policy payout, perhaps Mr. Weisman is sending a message to whoever stole the artwork--you will NOT have a clear conscience because the art meant more to me than the money. The sentimental value alone must be great. That tells me that he suspects a noted Warhol collector targeted him, and he does not want to assuage that person's guilt by taking the payout.
Really, sometimes people do things for a darned good reason, not so much because they are low and cheap.

[Dirk]

The collector's an idiot. AND, he stole his own stuff. It's so obvious it's not even funny.

[cam]

Stop wasting LAPD's time. If you don't want to speak to them, then why should the try to find them for you. Another looser rich guy.

[Pablo]

Wow! This man is a real piece of work. He doesn't cooperate with the cops or the insurer because ... because? Yet, he's completely willing to make public comments about how the cops aren't doing their job. Go figure. Either he's incredibly arrogant and stupid ... or he's just stupid.

[Craig Wilcox]

Canceling the policy gives him the chance to negotiate with the thieves.

[HidingSomething]

The guy is hiding one or more things.

If he is in debt, he probably sold them. If he made his mistress mad she probably stole them for revenge. If his wife is getting ready to divorce him she sold them and if his son is a drug addict he sold them. If there were no hidden issues he would not drop the case. He is dirty in the fact that he knows where they went and does not want that person or himself to get in trouble.

[steve williams]

HMMMMM . mad at the LAPD....Sounds like Richard got caught trying to scheme the insurance company .

Why not put in a claim??? Because if you do and you are defrauding the insurance company ...you might go to jail Richard.

Go hangin um back up Richard...did't work

[thom]

uh, what's wrong with this story?

Somebody help me.

from the top: guy cancels insurance for warhols worth 11 mil. They're stolen. He won't talk to cops, says it isn't worth the bother.

what am I missing here?

does he write off the 11 on taxes? did he sell them and not want the extra income tax? is he so rich that 11 mil means nothing? Or what?

cause this doesn't sound normal to me.

[jad]

Did he really say, in reference to the police wanting to question him, that they were "accusatory of the person who had it stolen"? rather than "accusatory of the person FROM WHOM it was stolen?"

Maybe Freud was right.

[Nick]

How can someone complain that an investigation is not moving forward when by their own admission they are not cooperating with the process?

If that is your feelings, then just take the loss and keep your mouth shut. A police investigation will be just as prying as an insurance investigation if you expect them to make any progress.

[Mr normal]

Any normal person thinks this is funny

[deeaiden]

Dirty minds see dirty things.

[P-Cat]

Guilty...as...heck!

A $25 million crime but waiving the insurance? Defensive criticism of the LAPD to "do their job" but refusing to meet with the detectives at all? Who's he trying to fool?!

I think we'll be hearing more about this.

[Pat]

I are kidding me. The LATIMES posts this article believing a guy that claims to have his painting stolen, files a claim and then withdrawals it and then he is a mind reader of the Detectives who say it was interesting. How did the suspect get in without breaking in? What about his alarm system? This is a joke. The guy is trying to save face because he is embarrassed. He is lucky that he is not getting booked. Maybe the LATIMES should try to do one of their so called "investigations" on this guy and scam he tried to pull on his insurance company.

[Nolo]

Why should he claim the insurance policy? Since the pieces are unique, it's not like the thieves can sell them. If a private collector wishes to display Mr. Weisman's portrait in his house, I think that in itself is a bit more curious. As far as the others, they'll turn up eventually. Maybe months, years, or decades. But yes, these supposed LAPD specialists should do what they are paid to do, and that's find the bad guys.

[AnotherCritic]

The Detectives of the L.A.P.D. also did the same thing to me, only they did it to cover up the crimes of one of their own and other cops involved. Don't believe that could happen? Check out the link above. However I don't think this comment will ever see the light of day past the censors at the LA[PD] Times News Paper.

K.C.

[RealDick]

He porbaly only had to talk to Hyrcyk for two minutes to realize that this ego maniac thought the story was about him and could not be bothered with it. Weisman is rich and in his late 60s - why would he put himself through the trouble? Look at the art cop website - its a shrine to Hyrcyk and the millions of interviews he goes through to show the world how cool he is - he has the full backing of the LAPD and gets away with fabricating evidence in court. His last partner was just arrested for murder. A real Dick in every sense of the word.