For the past half-century, a family in Englewood, Colorado, has owned a 200-year-old portrait of America's inaugural president, George Washington.
Surprisingly, this esteemed artwork has been kept in a storage unit - until last month, when it was stolen.
The painting was created in the early 1800s. It is approximately 24 inches by 30 inches in a gold frame.
According to police, the value of the stolen portrait is undisclosed and difficult to estimate given its profound historical significance. Police suspect the painting was stolen in the middle of the night on January 10, although no one noticed it was missing right away.
Crystal Essman with the Englewood Police Department spoke to Fox News and sounded surprised by this theft.
I am more surprised the owners kept it in a storage unit!
It's not often that we have historical artifacts or historical art pieces stolen from this city.
...
It's a family heirloom, and they just want it back.
A $2,000 reward is being offered for the safe return of the portrait (which seems a bit modest given the cultural and historical value of the artwork.)
The FBI has joined forces with local law enforcement agencies to pursue leads in recovering the stolen painting. They are urging the public to assist in locating the portrait.
Anyone with information about the missing portrait is encouraged to contact the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters can also remain anonymous and earn up to $2,000 for tips leading to the safe return of the portrait.
ALL OF AMERICA SHOULD BE HUNTING THIS PERP DOWN!!
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