Page 14 - BEYONDGLOBAL MAR 2024

FEATURE Unmasking Motive and Profile:

Investigating Stolen Artifacts in

Puerto Rico – José Campeche

by Jay Paulino, CPI

On December 20th, 2010, the Galería Nacional located in Old San While an initial investigation was conducted by the police upon the
Juan, Puerto Rico, fell victim to theft as three prized paintings by discovery of the theft, the case soon went cold for unknown reasons.
the esteemed Caribbean Legacy, José Campeche y Jordan, were Regrettably, the efforts of law enforcement were limited, providing
discovered missing. only a superficial examination of the situation. For the past 13 years,
the case has remained stagnant. Until now.
These stolen patrimonial pieces hold significant historical and
cultural value, representing Puerto Rico’s heritage throughout Let’s look at the facts. The robbery was noticed on a Monday, but
the ages. José Campeche, as an influential figure in his field, has it is important to note that the museum is open to the public from
contributed immensely to our island’s legacy. Campeche’s work is so Tuesday to Saturday, operating between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.,
fine and representative of the Rococo era that, in the past, it’s even and again from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This suggests that the incident
been incorrectly attributed to acclaimed Spanish painter Francisco must have occurred sometime between Friday and Saturday.
Goya. However, the disappearance of this artwork has unfortunately However, the museum’s employee schedule points to Saturday as
slipped from public attention. the probable day for the heist.

Determined to address this oversight, I have recently embarked on On that Saturday, the designated employee responsible for
reopening this case using my personal time. As a proud Puerto Rican, supervising the gallery during visitor hours was absent. Whether
I strongly believe in the preservation and accessibility of our history. due to illness or vacation, the absence left the entire workday in the
It hurts me to see our national patrimony compromised, with these hands of three private security guards. One guard was assigned to
missing items serving as glaring gaps in our historical narrative. be inside the gallery, another stationed at the entrance gate, and
the third tasked with managing the registry and the counter where
I aim to locate José Campeche’s three stolen paintings. By doing so, visitors would leave their belongings.
I hope to restore these significant pieces to their rightful place and
ensure that our heritage is preserved for future generations. The The museum’s security infrastructure, or lack thereof, compounded
significance of this theft cannot be underestimated, as it represents the vulnerability of the situation. At the time, the museum did not
not only a loss of material value but also a collective loss of identity possess security cameras, and the paintings themselves were devoid
and cultural pride. It is crucial that we rectify this situation and of alarm systems or additional safeguards to alert the staff. The
reclaim our history. framed artworks were merely secured to the wall with an elaborate
knot, providing minimal protection.
Inside job?
The absence of surveillance, coupled with the peculiar circumstances
The disappearance of José Campeche’s paintings from the Galería surrounding the staffing and the lack of alarm activation,
Nacional raises suspicions of a potential inside job. Campeche, a suggests a potential inside job. The limited oversight and lack of
prominent Puerto Rican painter recognized for his rococo style preventative measures at the time make it plausible that someone
and depictions of religious themes and the island’s elite, holds a with intimate knowledge of the museum’s operations exploited
distinguished place in our history and culture. As the first Puerto these vulnerabilities to carry out the theft. This theory can also be
Rican artist to achieve international recognition during the rococo confirmed thanks to the method of extraction. Due to the paintings’
movement, the value of his artistic legacy cannot be overstated. small size and method of display, it is believed the perpetrator only
had to turn them until the bolts were unscrewed to be able to quickly
On December 20th, 2010, three of Campeche’s artworks were stash the delicate artwork in a bag.
reported stolen from the Galería Nacional, the art gallery affiliated
with the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (ICP), also known as The perpetrator behind the theft of José Campeche’s paintings fits
the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. The stolen paintings include a distinct profile. It is evident that the individual is an art enthusiast,
“La Virgen de Belén” (1806), “Virgen del Carmen”, each valued in possessing an extensive knowledge and passion for Campeche’s
$80,000 (c. 1785-1809), and a second “Virgen del Carmen” (1829) work. They exhibit familiarity with the inner workings of the Galería
from Taller Campeche, valued in $30,000-$35,000. Nacional, suggesting a connection to the art world. Moreover, it
is likely that they enjoy relative financial stability and possess the
12 W.A.D Beyond Global