Asia? Europe? Where might recent stolen art end up?

It may sound like the plot of a blockbuster movie, but there is a very real chance items nicked from a Kelowna art gallery are smuggled away in a collectors’ basement or being shipped overseas.

That comes according to one artist whose pieces were lifted and is no stranger to theft.

“It is kind of personal, you know. I don’t know what those --- will do with that,” Vilem Zach told Kelowna10. “They cannot sell it in B.C. or Alberta. Maybe in Toronto, Montreal, it might disappear there, but I’ve got a feeling it leaves the country. Either they are going to wait for a while, hide it and wait for a while, or it is already out.”

In the wee hours of Jan. 15, two men made a short, unwelcome, and expensive visit to Gallery 421. In just under four minutes, the thieves made off with about $70,000 worth of work.

According to a Kelowna RCMP spokesperson, the break and enter appears to have been planned.

In an email, Cpl. Tammy Lobb said the investigation remains ongoing, led by the Kelowna RCMP Target Team who investigate more complex property crime files. She said art theft is not a common occurrence for the detachment.

Four of Zach’s bronze sculptures were effortlessly whisked away that night, alongside work by Michael Hermesh, Vance Theoret and Jeff Holmwood.

Based in Calgary, Zach has explored mediums like acrylic, oil, pastel, and bronze for over 40 years. He was born and raised in Prague, Czech Republic, and spent several years studying there before moving to Canada in 1969.

Zach wasn’t overly shocked when he got word of the heist. And while it’s been some time since it last happened, he figures he’s had about 20 pieces stolen over the course of his career. Some of those hits took place while exhibiting at the professional artists show at the Calgary Stampede.

“A group of people would come and steal from each gallery, one or two pieces. Then for five years you wouldn’t see anything like that, and then again. It was sort of off and on,” he explained.

He doesn’t know exactly what happens to the art – he’s never had a stolen piece recovered – but he figures some get shipped abroad, reproduced, and sold.

“That’s the only comprehensive thing to do with it because they cannot put it on the market.”

While less likely, he said a collector may have even ordered the hit and will keep the work for themselves.

Shock and confusion are equally top of mind for gallery owners Kelly Hanna and Ken Moen, who spoke to Kelowna10 shortly after the robbery.

“I consider Kelowna to be a safe community and certainly our neighborhood a safe community,” she said. “I’m totally surprised.”

One suspect is described as a being 5-foot-10, with a medium build and wearing a grey hoodie, blue pants with a white strip, and white runners.

The second is 5-foot-6, has a medium build and wore a dark hoodie and black adidas runners.

Anyone with information is asked to call Kelowna RCMP or Crime Stoppers.