Judy Garland's Ruby Slippers Found After Museum Theft 13 Years Ago
- September 04, 2018 13:26
The FBI announced Tuesday that they have found the stolen red sequined slippers worn nearly 80 years ago by actress Judy Garland as Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz." Pilfered from a museum in the actress' hometown of Grand Rapids, Minn., the shoes have been missing for 13 years.
On loan from memorabilia collector Michael Shaw, the red slippers were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in August 2005. They were insured for $1 million, and prized as one of four surviving pairs that Garland wore in her iconic role in the 1939 film.
The pair is estimated to be worth as much as $5 million at auction, according to CNN.
“France has the ‘Mona Lisa.’ America has ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ ” museum director John Kelsch told the Star Tribune. “It’s our national masterpiece, so much a part of the American experience.”
The slippers were found in August. Authorities are still investigating the thief.