Man Discovers Stolen Masterpiece Worth $50,000 in Dumpster

In a remarkable twist of fate, a painting by celebrated Canadian artist Jean-Paul Riopel, stolen from a gallery in Edmonton, was discovered in the most unlikely of places—a dumpster. The story, reported by the Miami Herald, unfolds like a modern treasure hunt with a touch of serendipity.

The artwork, an untitled piece crafted with watercolor and ink on paper, was pilfered from an Edmonton gallery on December 6, 2021. Thieves broke through the gallery’s door, making off with several pieces, including the Riopel. Despite efforts to track down the culprits, the police hit a dead end, and the case went cold.

Four years later, a man in New York attempted to auction the painting, unaware of its illicit origins. He had found the masterpiece discarded among refuse and, perhaps sensing its value, kept it tucked away in a closet for years. The painting’s reappearance sparked intrigue, and when authorities traced its history, the man learned it was stolen property.

Upon discovering the painting’s past through a police report, the man agreed to return it to the insurance company that had compensated the gallery. In 2022, the artwork was valued between $50,690 and $57,932, a sum equivalent to roughly 3.9 to 4.4 million rubles.

Curiously, the original owners declined to reclaim the piece, having already received a substantial insurance payout. Had the painting’s value plummeted after the theft, they might have faced a financial loss, but the artwork’s worth held steady, sparing them further trouble.