Law Enforcement

Our Pledge

Offering free support services to law enforcement agencies dealing with art crime around the world is a guiding principle of our practice.

We are regularly called to work alongside agencies, contributing confidential and expert advice to their investigations but never seeking to influence or preside over their direction.

With alerts triggered by our database, we are often the first to know when a stolen work has been discovered.

Our first obligation is to determine whether or not any active police investigation already exists and immediately notify relevant law enforcement agencies either directly and confidentially or through Interpol.

We provide agencies with all information about items matched by our database, including the basis of the match, the details of the theft victim and the whereabouts of the item. We will then take direction from law enforcement and offer our services where required.

In the course of our work with law enforcement agencies, we will not:

  • Undertake any smuggling of works
  • Violate the laws of any jurisdiction
  • Remunerate criminals under any circumstances
  • Interfere with active investigations
  • Undertake any unapproved recovery efforts
  • Discuss active investigations with any third parties without authorisation
  • Halt sales without instruction

Our Work

Even for the most dedicated agencies, limited resources sometimes impede upon the attention that is able to be given to cases involving art crime.

Art Claim and Art Recovery International work alongside law enforcement offering confidential research services and consultancy that endeavours to increase the speed and effectiveness of their operations.

From liaising between different jurisdictions to devising creative recovery strategies, our work with law enforcement is bound by one objective: mutually beneficial co-operation.

Law enforcement agencies may benefit from Art Claim in the following ways:

  • Searching our records of stolen, looted and missing works
  • Registering items reported stolen
  • Searching and researching services on items uncovered or seized

Searches and registrations on Art Claim are held in complete confidence and will only be brought to the attention of Art Claim specialists in the event of a match or a possible match.

Additionally, law enforcement agencies may benefit from the following services offered by Art Recovery International:

  • Advice on recovery strategies
  • Shared resources
  • Provenance research
  • Liaison with other law enforcement agencies
  • Ease of communication in several languages
  • Assistance on expert item reports

For more information about Art Recovery International, click here.