SHORT TAKES : Soviet Art Collection Stolen
MOSCOW — Thieves broke into an apartment, tied up its owner and fled with the largest private art collection in the Soviet Union, worth more than $3 million, the daily Izvestia said Tuesday.
The newspaper said about 30 works were taken. They belonged to a well-known art collector, identified as V. Magits, and included 17th- and 18th-Century Dutch and German works.
Also among the stolen items, Izvestia said, were old Russian icons and rare miniature portraits.
“Specialists say this is the worst theft of a private collection in the U.S.S.R. . . . and give a preliminary estimate of more than $3 million for the stolen works,†it said.
The newspaper did not say when the attack occurred, but added that there had been several major thefts recently.
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