Yonkerstimes.com just recently became aware of an older gentleman walking onto the SUNY Purchase campus and stealing art projects of Purchase students. And all of the art this many has stolen are nudes.
Students familiar with the case have been posting about this has now been happening for two semesters and the thief remains at large. The picture above is a good enough rendering for someone in Westchester to come forward and contact the State Police.
The stolen works of art are important to the students, who are graduating after presenting their senior thesis exhibits on campus.
In a statement, the Purchase College Police Chief Dayton Tucker said the investigation is ongoing and “our Investigators are working diligently with local law enforcement in the region to solve and close the case.”
One post online from a student reads, “THIS MAN HAS BEEN STEALING ARTWORK FROM SUNY PURCHASE COLLEGE. For the past two semesters he has been stealing figurative drawings and paintings, always nudes. The police’s facial recognition software can not identify him. PLEASE help us identify him so we can get our work back. Thank you.”
The man allegedly sneaks past security on campus and into the art gallery in the early morning hours. Some have questioned why the art gallery cannot be locked, or at least have a feature where a college ID is required for entry.
Others wonder why this matter has not been made more public. Perhaps it was because officials at SUNY Purchase did not want the negative publicity, or were hoping to make an arrest.
We will speak to officials at SUNY Purchase and the State police to find out who you can contact to help solve this crime, and update this post.
Update: Anyone with information on this man can contact State University Police Criminal Investigator Justin Thompson at 914-251-6906, or justin.thompson@purchase.edu.
