When Gordon Harrison Gallery director and owner Phil Emond walked into his shop on April 29, he immediately noticed an empty space on the wall.
His first thought was that the gallery at 100 Murray St. had sold a painting, and was shocked when the employee said they hadn’t.
After reviewing surveillance videos for the store, Emond suspects that two people stole the missing Gordon Harrison painting.
“It happened in about two minutes,” he said. “They were very calm. They didn’t run.”
City police Wednesday asked for the public’s assistance in identifying two persons of interest after a painting was stolen from the art gallery in the ByWard Market.
Police said that around 4 p.m. on April 29, suspects visited the art gallery and were captured on surveillance video leaving with a painting.
Emond said the painting is an original landscape oil painting by Ottawa artist Gordon Harrison. The painting, which is unframed and measures 16 by 16 inches, is entitled Lake View and is of Toronto’s High Park.
It is valued at $1,000.
Emond said he later learned that other galleries in Ottawa had suffered thefts.
“I think we have an art theft problem in Ottawa,” he said.
Police are now seeking two persons of interest.
The first is a white male, 30-40 years old, 5-9 to 5-11 tall, with short brown hair. He was wearing a burgundy jacket with a green lapel and green stripe at waist, possibly carrying a backpack.
The second person of interest is a white female, 35-45 years old, 5-5 to 5-6 tall, with chin-length brown hair. She was wearing a grey turtleneck, black jacket, black or grey pants, sunglasses, and carrying a large black purse.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 613-236-1222 ext. 5166 or Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477 (TIPS).
