A man caught trying to steal Picassos and Warhols from a Scottsdale gallery, Harpreet Singh, has been sentenced to 5 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of Theft, a Class Two Felony.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, in January 2024, an alarm went off at the American Fine Art Gallery in the early morning hours. An employee went to check it out and found several pieces of art missing from the walls. They also heard someone in an upstairs office and called the police.
Scottsdale Police responded and saw Singh’s BMW parked directly below an emergency access ladder and spotted someone on the roof. Officers set up a perimeter and made their way to the rooftop, where they found art pieces scattered around, along with a face mask, gloves, and several tools.
Singh was found hiding on the roof of a nearby art gallery and arrested. Among the seven artworks he tried to steal were three Picassos and two Warhols.
Singh also pleaded guilty to one count of Interference with Monitoring Devices, a Class Four Felony for cutting off his ankle monitor about six weeks after posting bond. He was given 3.5 years of supervised probation for that offense.
“Art heists may seem glamorous in the movies, but in Maricopa County, they end with a prison sentence instead of a dramatic getaway,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “Thanks to the quick response from Scottsdale Police and MCAO prosecutors Richelle Burch and Jonathan Hutcheson, the only art this thief will be looking at for the next few years will be whatever’s etched on the walls of his cell.”
How stupid can you get?