Kedibone Modise kedibone.modise@inl.co.za While South Africa is among the highest-ranking crime spots in the world, art theft remains relatively low in the country.
It was only recently, during the national lockdown, that high profile art thefts were reportedly peaking, with insurers paying out millions of rand in claims in the past year.
In April, over 31 paintings valued at R500 000, were stolen during an art heist in Pretoria.
These masterpieces by renowned South African artists, including WH Coetzer, Ignatius Marx, Helene Kapp, Margaret Gradwell and Gerhard Smit, were being transported from Sandton Auctioneers to Pretoria art dealer Ben Keogh, when the robbery took place.
And while the vehicle was later recovered, the paintings disappeared.
Christelle Colman, managing director of Elite Risk Acceptances, a subsidiary of Old Mutual Insure, said…
