Someone just sent me this: "YESTERDAY SOME HEAVY ARTWORK WAS STOLEN IN CHELSEA Among the items is a portrait in mosaic of TINA BROWN, a large three panel piece of a SWAT team an some abstract mosaic sculptures. It was part of a group of artworks stolen from a truck on their way from ALP GALLERIES (291 Seventh Ave) in New York to an exhibition in Shanghai.

The artist is my husband, Nils Grossien, an UP AND COMING ARTIST, who lately had luck lining up successful exhibitions, finding a new gallery and selling work. His big break came when he got invited to take part in a prestigious international exhibition in Shanghai, China, the Shanghai Spring Art Salon, in September. He worked like crazy and packed his life's work in crates which were supposed to be shipped by air to China.

But yesterday afternoon the CRATES WERE STOLEN from the truck of the shipping agent on a crowded street, Seventh Avenue/corner 27th Street. It went totally fast. While the art movers went up to the gallery to get some more crates the thieves broke the lock of the van an stole Nils' works. It's mindblowing because the crates are really heavy (Nils makes beautiful portraits and sculptures from glass mosaic, you can check out the work at his website: http://www.straightmosaic.com - his work was exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum of Art and is in their collection) We searched the streets around the area. We filed a report with the police, but for them it is just another case of theft, one of hundreds each day in the city. They didn't even want to take fingerprints or follow up on a tip of a suspect car speeding from the scene.

For Nils his LIFE'S WORK HAS VANISHED without a trace. He is devastated. He also worries that once the thieves discover that they haven't stolen goldencrusted treasures or boxes with designer clothes (the site of the theft was near the garment district!) but modern art they will dump the crates somewhere. the funny thing is that Nils was always much more concerned about safety in China and had worried that his work might be mishandled there.

The monetary value of the stolen art is about 50.000 $, part of which will probably be covered by insurance. But it's the loss of the physical work that's so davastating. And that his show in Shanghai is now in jeopardy. Therefore he is pleading with the thieves: PLEASE DON'T DESTROY MY WORK. let me know where you dumped it and I pick it up. He is even considering to offer a REWARD. We hope that by making the case public someone will recognize his work.

We are thankful for any helpful tip. Please call...Alp Galleries: 212-206 9108"

[Ed.Um, we didn't do it.]