Four Charged by Denver DA in Dale Chihuly Theft
- January 25, 2015 22:45
Four people have been charged in the theft of Dale Chihuly glasswork from a Denver Botanic Gardens exhibit last summer.
An informant tipped off police, leading the Denver District Attorney to charge Alex Brook, 23, and Joseph Parnell, 36, with theft, tampering with evidence and felony criminal mischief. Sean Sorenson, 20, and Auvia Bellamy, 19, were charged with theft.
The four said they were bored when they unlawfully entered the Botanic Gardens on Aug. 22 and stole several pieces of Chihuly artwork, including some glass cattails and an orb.
After news reports mentioned the importance of the stolen Chihuly work (valued at $100,000), the thieves dumped the cattails in a cornfield where they presumably destroyed by a harvester. The orb was retained.
