Artwork stolen in 2021 shows up 300 kilometres away

More than two years after hundreds of pieces of art were stolen from an Osoyoos, B.C., artist, a thrift store about 300 kilometres away found some that had been included in a donation.

In late 2021, Gabriele Beyer’s home was broken into. She says thieves stole hundreds of silk ties and 46 paintings — and Beyer says the loss was a big hit to her livelihood.

“It was a mystery when the break-in happened,” she told The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn.

“I was in total shock for about six weeks.”

In the days following the theft, Beyer hung posters in every Osoyoos business she knew, asked people what they might know and did interviews with local media, hoping someone would know what happened to her work.

“I didn’t know what else to do. It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” she said.

She filed a police report and began to grieve.

Fast forward to 2024, when Peri Clark, a thrift store manager on the Sunshine Coast, discovered 154 brightly coloured ties in a donation.

“When these ties came in, we knew that they were special,” said Clark.

Dozens of Gabriele Beyer’s silk ties were discovered in a donation at the Sunshine Coast Community Services Thrift Store. (Submitted by Gabriele Beyer)

She looked them up online to learn how to properly price them, when she discovered that they had been stolen and the artist was looking for them.

Clark called Beyer, who made the five-hour journey to Gibsons, B.C., to pick them up at the Sunshine Coast Community Services Thrift Store.

“It was disbelief,” said Beyer. “I wanted to go there and tell her in person how much this meant to me and I wanted to give her a hug.”

Clark isn’t sure who dropped the ties off, but figures it’s likely someone clearing out a rental property.

“People often drop [donations] off anonymously,” she said.

More art found

Shortly after Clark found ties, another store, the Gibsons Salvation Army, contacted police to report more discovered at their shop, according to an email sent to Beyer from Osooyos RCMP.

B.C. RCMP Cpl. James Grandy says the investigation is ongoing, as Beyer’s art continues to be found in multiple places throughout the province.

In January 2023, Beyer said she got a call from Surrey RCMP telling her six paintings and six ties had been turned in.

Beyer said they had been left behind in a rental property, and the owner searched online and found the same information as Clark — that the artwork had been stolen.

“They were super kind to turn them into the police,” Beyer said.