ManitobaTwo paintings with a total value of $9,000 were stolen from a gallery in the Exchange District last month, and police are asking for the public’s help to find them.2 paintings, titled Lady of the Lake and First Snow of the Season, stolen in mid-AugustCBC News · Posted: Sep 27, 2025 2:44 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoThis painting, titled Lady of the Lake, is one of two stolen from a McDermot Avenue gallery on Aug. 14 or 15, according to Winnipeg police. (Submitted by Winnipeg Police Service)Two paintings with a total value of $9,000 were stolen from a gallery in the Exchange District last month, and Winnipeg police are now asking for the public’s help to find them.The thief or thieves broke a window at a gallery on McDermot Avenue and stole two paintings — one titled Lady of the Lake and another called First Snow of the Season — sometime between 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 14 and just after 5:40 a.m. the next day, police said in a news release on Saturday. Rod Sasaki, who has owned Warehouse Artworks since 1979, confirmed in a phone call the paintings were stolen from his gallery. The gallery’s website shows First Snow of the Season, by artist Ida MacKenzie, listed for sale at $550, and Lady of the Lake, by Marianne Thompson, for $8,250.Sasaki said the thief was probably attracted to the Lady of the Lake’s price tag listed in the window. He won’t be putting pricey artwork in the window again after this incident, he said. He said it’s unclear why the thief stole the paintings, but suspects it was someone just looking for “quick cash.”This painting, First Snow of the Season, was also stolen. Police say the two paintings have a combined estimated value of almost $9,000. (Submitted by Winnipeg Police Service)Winnipeg Police Service spokesperson Const. Claude Chancy said the motive behind the theft is unknown, but art theft is “pretty much unheard of” in the city.Stolen paintings can be easily recognized at pawn shops or in online buy-and-sell platforms, he noted.”It’s not something that we come across here in Winnipeg,” said Chancy.Sasaki said it’s not the first time his store has been damaged, but the theft is unusual.”The windows have been broken seven times over the past 30 years, but never anything taken like that,” he said. “It was smashed out pretty good too.” Police are asking anyone with information, or images or footage from around the time of the break-in, to contact the major crimes unit at 204-986-6219. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477 or online.With files from Gavin Axelrod
Nearly $9K worth of artwork stolen from Exchange District gallery: Winnipeg police
