The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has targeted a pair accused of purloining nearly $13,000 in sculptures from a Carnival cruise.
The Carnival cruise liner, renowned for its luxurious journeys from Baltimore to Bermuda, became the scene of an art theft that has the FBI on high alert, ABC News reported.
Carnival Cruise Line, on its digital portal, boasts of an exquisite and ever-evolving fine art collection. With an open invitation to sip champagne and engage in the thrill of an auction, customers are enticed to place bids and possibly procure a lasting token of their voyage.
However, the FBI alleges that two cruise passengers turned this serene scenario into a surreptitious scheme. Reports suggest that, without entering an auction or opening their wallets, the duo absconded with two valuable sculptures from the Carnival Legend vessel over a month ago. Charges have yet to be announced.
Documents filed in a federal court in Baltimore detailed the disappearance of the artwork. The day following the ship’s return from a week on the ocean waves, an art auctioneer on board noticed the absence of the sculptures.
The vanished art includes “Kiss the Sea,” a Lucite creation by Robert Wyland, portraying sea turtles, valued at $6,200, and “Tappin’ the Keys for the Love,” a portrayal of a pianist by Marcus Glenn, with a value placed at $6,600.
Carnival’s security apparatus, upon scrutinizing surveillance footage, captured the two suspects on tape. They entered the gallery in the early AM devoid of any items, only to leave bearing items resembling the missing sculptures.
Further sleuthing led to the identification of the suspects, a trucking company worker and his companion. An FBI agent’s perusal of the male suspect’s social media profile revealed attire matching that seen in the surveillance, bolstering the case.
After a federal judge sanctioned the search, the FBI executed warrants at the suspects’ residences, successfully recovering the artworks. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Baltimore confirmed the retrieval.
