Confederation College hopeful Indigenous artwork stolen in 1981 heist will be returned

Thunder Bay's Confederation College is hopeful four pieces of valuable Indigenous artworkwill soon be back on display after being stolen nearly four decades ago.

The four pieces of arttwo by NorvalMorrisseau, and two by Carl Raywere hanging on display in the Shuniah Building when they were taken in 1981, said MikeRozic, the college's senior manager of public safety and risk management.

"Two gentlemen entered the college posing as workers, and basically walked out with four paintings," he said. "The police were obviously called at that time. An investigation was done, and obviously it didn't lead to any arrests."

Three paintings located

However, three of the paintings seem tohave recently resurfaced. Rozic got a call in the fall from a curator in Montreal, who said the two Morriseau paintings had been offered for sale to her, and she hadimmediately recognized them as the stolen pieces, Rozic said.

"Thunder Bay police were advised," he said. "They did a small investigation ... and then it was handed over to the Suretedu Quebec."

One of the pieces by Ray has also since been located by police in Montreal, as well, Rozic said, and a search is on to find the remaining Ray painting.

Rozic said it's "99.9 per cent" certainthe paintings are those taken from campus in 1981.

"We're waiting for another call back to see what the next step is going to be," he said. "We're hoping they come back to the college, obviously, so people can enjoy them here at the college, or we can loan them out to the art gallery, and people can enjoy them there, also."

Rozic said he's been toldthe two Morrisseau paintings are worth about $60,000 $80,000 each, but the value of the Ray paintings wasn't available.