Friday, 10th October 2008 - 11:18CET

Man jailed seven years for theft of paintings

A man was this morning jailed for seven years for the theft of paintings from the home of European Court Judge Giovanni Bonello in Old Bakery Street, Valletta.

Ian Farrugia was convicted of having, with other persons, stolen the works of art. He was also convicted of handling stolen property and damaging this property.

The paintings were recovered by the police within weeks. They were found hidden behind a false wall in a garage in Birkirkara. The 30 paintings included a Caravaggio.

Comments

Sarah Gauci (on 12/10/08)

The first thought that came to my mind is what Deb Bugeja voiced out...

Martin Galea (on 11/10/08)

It doesn't matter when, where, and with what amount money the painting was purchased. His money, his business. If anybody wants to buy expensive cars, or other objects, then that, is their business, and apart from that, if other people aspire to buy expensive items, but can't, then tough luck. Study, work hard, and when you have the money, do what you want with it. Jealousy will get you nowhere, and shows how small minded certain people are.

Besides, money, ownership and provenance (it IS a real one, btw), are not the point. The point is that at face value, it seems that theft, and rape, on these sceptered isles of ours(forgive the liberty Mr Shakespeare) , merit the same punishment. Which makes the few years handed out to the rapist rather ridiculous.

deb bugeja (on 11/10/08)

The accused got 7 years in prison for theft. I agree with the sentence. and the man who raped a 10 year old girl for years which left her psychological scarred got 7 years only on this crime. Rape is much a worse crime.

Dunstan Crockford (on 10/10/08)

@ Andrew Cassar
Whoever mentioned any date when purchased? Decades ago the only known Carravagio masterpieces where the ones we STILL officially know of!! and if bought locally, I have my doubts whether auctioneers then, would have been able to evaluate.

Olina Tretyak (on 10/10/08)

http://coxsoft.blogspot.com/2008/08/caravaggio-stolen.html "Caravaggio is one of my all-time favourite artists. The power, drama and realism of his paintings are fantastic. A Google image search will find pages of his works.

He was a hell-raiser too, killed somebody in a duel and had to flee to Malta to escape prison. So his life and paintings are well worth researching..."

philip pace (on 10/10/08)

While not entering in the argument if one can afford a Caravaggio or if one can buy one or how one managed to have such a painting in his possession, I sincerely doubt if it is a painting by the great master himself, after all!
If I am proved wrong then which painting is this?
Can the reporter shed more details on this matter please?

Joseph Galea (on 10/10/08)

Ivan Delia says: "...it's not fair that who has money can buy what others cannot!!!."

Since when is life supposed to be fair? Life is what you make of it. If someone has the wherewithal to buy a Caravaggio (and more importantly chooses to use his wealth that way) more power to him. With your reasoning we would all be down to the lowest common denominator, having only what the laziest-good-for-nothing has, in one word "nothing."

Andrew Cassar (on 10/10/08)

@Ivan Delia
Can you please explain why it is not fair that people with money can buy things people with less money cannot? So should we make Ferraris illegal because I cannot afford one? What if you could produce $1,000,000 paintings.....should the government requisition all your paintings?

@Dunstan Crockford
No one said that this painting was bought recently. It could have been bought decades ago for a year's wage by a relative, or the judge himself

a.mallia (on 10/10/08)

Anybody can bid for and buy a Caravaggio. let's thank our lucky stars this painting belongs to a fellow Maltese. Knowing the eminent judge's love for Maltese history I would not be surprised if one day the painting is bequeathed to the Fine arts museum the same way Dr. Ganado's map collection was bequeted albeit in exchange for property.

Dunstan Crockford (on 10/10/08)

@ C.Cassar
I NEVER heard of a Carravagio being auctioned!!! Maybe from the School of such a great artist...but an original......?????

C Cassar (on 10/10/08)

@ Ivan Delia
with all due respect if private collectors did not pay for Art, then artists would die of hunger! the reason contemporary artists like Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol, etc, made and make a good living is because of private collectors. Without such collectors, artists would be a dying breed - nobody likes to work for free mate!

A Abela (on 10/10/08)

I read the comments in this article with great surpise. Are we still in the era of govt requisition? Anyone can own a Caravaggio if he has the money for it.

Neil McLaughton (on 10/10/08)

Who says it's a Caravaggio anyway?.I remember when the BBC came to Malta to do an antiques show.Their experts said that they had never seen so many Stradavari (fake) in their lives.

wally vella-zarb (on 10/10/08)

@John Bugeja & Ivan Delia

There would be no objection were you two gentlemen to puchase this Caravaggio - or any other work of art, for that matter - and then donate it to our Museum.

I am sure that everybody would thank your magnanimity and altruism! :-)

Martin Galea (on 10/10/08)

@ C Cassar.

We are still of the same opinion.

My main point is that a sentence as light as the one handed out for the rape conviction is an absolute disgrace, and I am sure that the AG's office will be appealing for a heavier sentence, I am speaking of course, in the hope that as the law stands, there does exist an allowance for a heavier punishment in such cases. Maybe somebody can tell us, just for the sake of knowledge, what the maximum is, for aggravated rape. In the case that there is actually a heavier punsihment available, then what circumstances caused such a light sentence to be meted out? Hopefully not the 'advanced' age of the felon, because that would be really ridiculous. Well, I hope the attorney general's office appeal this light sentence. Good luck to them, and a pox on this vile creature who committed such a crime.

Ivan Delia (on 10/10/08)

@c.cassar
no way mate.... caravaggio paintings should be in their place at the museum ... where everybody can admire them.... its not fair that who has money can buy what others cannot!!!

C Cassar (on 10/10/08)

@ Martin Galea
the sentence for the paedophile rapist was 7 years not 9. The additional 2 years were for theft not for the rape. So it is even more scandalous - the thief and the rapist got the same punishment.... and yet, what price the life of a child!

@John Bugeja and Dunstan Crockford
One obtains a Caravaggio by purchasing it. In the same way that one can purchase a Monet, a Picasso or any other painting. If a private collector bids more at auction than a museum does, the painting goes into private hands. Happens every day - check out Sothebys.com

John Bugeja (on 10/10/08)

One of the paintings was a CARAVAGGIO??? It's place should be in a museum!!!

J Axiak (on 10/10/08)

I think that the laws are not harsh enough because if one is ready to take the risk it means that the risk is not high enough so that he/she does not do the act! I am not judging anyone I m just saying that the laws should be more harsh!

Martin Galea (on 10/10/08)

Not to detract from the undoubted value of the paintings stolen and retreived, but doesn't this sentence jar a bit, when compared to the miserable 9 year sentence given to the rapist of a 10 year old girl?? Is there anybody else here who thinks that the person who has scarred that child forever needs a much bigger punishment?? Are we to understand that the loss of what, at the end of the day are mere trinkets is almost on the par with a life scarred for ever?? I understand that rules exist for the granting of punishments, but I do think that a rapist is a much lower form of life than a thief, even an incorrigible thief. I think that sentences being handed are a bit too arbitrary, despite said statutory rules for sentences. Let's not forget, that the convicted criminal had no mercy on the victim. Justice should be blind both ways.

M D Fenech (on 10/10/08)

When raping a child, one should get a life sentence. If one behaves like a beast, one should be treated like one. (I was about to say 'if one behaves like an animal..., but the fact is that animals are very protective towards their offspring.)

Anthony Grech (on 10/10/08)

Isn't this the same person who was found not guilty for his involvement in a very high profile case?

Dunstan Crockford (on 10/10/08)

Did I read correctly??? A Caravaggio!!!!! How does one manage to acquire such a painting???

J oatmon (on 10/10/08)

This thief gets 7 years and no one is hurt, yet the 61 year old convicted of raping a 10 year old etc., gets the same 7 years?

Am I missing something here - should it not be more like 3 years for the theft, and 12 years for the rape?

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Man jailed seven years for theft of paintings

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