THE theft of two paintings from the Russian Museum in St Petersburg this week is part of a new trend of stealing to order, experts believe. Solitary Guitarist and a sketch for the painting Troika, both by Vasili Perov, a 19th century artist, were taken in a dawn raid on Tuesday. "There has been a surge of interest in art and antiques among the new rich in the past decade," said Aleksandr Shevchuk, deputy head of the cultural and historical crimes department of the Moscow police. "Thefts to order are always extremely difficult to uncover because so many people are involved." Art theft in St Petersburg alone has skyrocketed in the past few years, from 18 crimes in 1992 to 178 in 1997. In 1994 four men broke into the St Petersburg Library and took $300 million worth of manuscripts, including medieval European, ancient Chinese, Mongolian, Tibetan and Hebrew scripts. Twelve people were arrested in connection with the crime which was believed to have been ordered by an Israeli collector, though he was never identified. Vladimir Gusev, the director of the Russian Museum, believes the paintings stolen this week were ordered by a private collector, but says the works are so well known it will not be possible to display them. "The best thing he can do is to bring the things back anonymously," he said. Russia's museums and galleries lack the funds for adequate anti-theft systems. Only the Hermitage, housed in the Winter Palace of the tsars in St Petersburg, has invested in Western-style security.
The IFCPP presents its Annual Seminar and Exhibits in the fall of each year. The 1999 event is scheduled for November 4-6, the Marriot Hotel in Gateway Park (DIA) in Denver, Colorado. Attendees will enjoy two full days of professional program presentations, offering credit towards certification as a Certified Institutional Protection Specialist (CIPS), and Certified Institutional Protection Manager (CIPM). Members arrive on Thursday November 4, for registration and check-in between noon and 5 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., a get-acquainted mixer and Chairman's Welcome are held in the hotel ballroom. Soft Drinks, Cocktails, snacks, and live entertainment are featured. You'll enjoy our warm western hospitality, great down home atmosphere, and western CASUAL is the dress for the day. Registration will open again at 7:30 a.m. on Friday.
Friday's activities begin at 8:30 a.m. with introductory information from the conference staff followed by special presentations by our surprise Keynote Speaker and some outstanding presenters. Attendees may then choose between the basic security officer certified training program, or the protection management certified training program. Classes run concurrently from 10:00 a.m. through noon. Lunch will be served in the main ballroom, with presentation by a special speaker. Classes resume at 1:30 p.m., continuing through 5:00 p.m. Special arrangements are now being made with area restaurants for group discounts.
Saturday's classes begin at 8:30 a.m., continuing through noon. Lunch is provided at the conference site. Classes resume at 1:00 p.m, continuing through 3:30 p.m. At closing those registered for the the certification programs take a one hour exam. Certificates for successful candidates will be awarded before departure. Certificates of attendance for all conference attendees will also be distributed. Exhibitors: State of the Art Technology vendors , and cultural institution service industries display their products and services at tables near each workshop room. Product demonstrations are featured. Special Events: Attendees may board free shuttles nightly for trips to old west casino gambling in the mountain towns of Black Hawk and Central City. Tours are also available to the Air Force Academy, and mountain ski towns. Passes to area attractions are part of the conference registration packet.
Costs: Members - $195 Nonmembers - $225. Discounts for early registration. Contact us now for additional information: Rob@IFCPP.com Steve@IFCPP.com