A band of thieves that allegedly stole priceless paintings including Jackson Pollock's "Springs Winter" and other pricey memorabilia is facing federal charges for heists dating back more than 20 years. Photo courtesy of FBI’s National Stolen Art File
June 15 (UPI) -- A band of thieves that allegedly stole priceless paintings by artists Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock, as well as pricey sports memorabilia and other artifacts, is facing federal charges for heists dating back more than 20 years.
Federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania announced Thursday that nine people had been hit with charges for snatching the art and artifacts from museums and antique stores in five states -- New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
Among the works stolen were Le Grande Passion by Andy Warhol and Springs Winter by Jackson Pollock, taken from the Everhart Museum in Scranton in 2005.
Other items stolen include a jersey and two contracts signed by New York Giants legendary pitcher Christy Mathewson, taken in 1999 from Keystone College in Factoryville, Pa., and nine World Series rings and other items that belonged to Yogi Berra.
The Yogi Berra items alone are worth more than $1 million and were stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in Little Falls, N.J.
The sports memorabilia taken also ranged from championship belts won by boxing legends to the 1903 Belmont Stakes horseracing trophy, as well as various gems, minerals, antique jewelry and firearms.
Prosecutors said four of the alleged thieves were charged with conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork and interstate transportation of stolen property.
They were also charged with concealment or disposal of objects of cultural heritage after one of the defendants, Nicholas Dombek, allegedly burned a painting by Jasper Cropsey titled Upper Hudson.
Authorities said all the other items remain missing. Pollock's work is listed in the FBI's National Stolen Art File of missing art.
The remaining three defendants hit with those charges were identified as Damien Boland, Alfred Atsus and Joseph Atsus. Dombek was additionally charged with a substantive count of interstate transportation of stolen property.
The other five accused of being a part of the criminal ring include Thomas Trotta, Frank Tassiello, Daryl Rinker, Dawn Trotta and Ralph Parry.
Authorities told WNEP that all but Dombek have turned themselves over to authorities and that he remains on the run.
"It's impossible to think they would have melted down something that is so historic, they are invaluable to our family," Ted Zale, nephew of boxing legend Tony Zale, told WNEP. "I'm sure they didn't get much out of them."
