Sculpture by Fernando Botero Stolen

A few days ago an unidentified man stole a sculpture by Colombian artist Fernando Botero at the Galeries Bartoux in Paris, near the Élysée Palace, the French president's official residence. Titled Maternidad (Maternity), the bronze figure has an estimated value of 425,000.00 euros, weights 10 kg and is 57 cm high. The paradoxical aspect of the robbery, which occurred on Saturday, November 4, resides in the approach implemented by the thief, who did not cover his face or act violently. Instead, he just took the sculpture in his arms and calmly walked out of the gallery, passing by many visitors and security. Minutes before grabbing the figure and leaving the place, the thief performed a sort of rehearsal in which he took the sculpture all the way to the exit and then returned it to its original place. Despite the value of the sculpture by the Colombian artist, the gallery only noticed that the work was missing when it was time to close the place that Saturday night. French police has opened an investigation into the strange event.