Pricey paintings disappear from Scottsdale gallery

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - Seven pricey paintings have disappeared from a Scottsdale art gallery after it went out of business, and police say they could be hanging in your house.

Painter Alan Wolton of Sedona said he went through art dealer Peter Shaun Alderman to sell his paintings at the Willow Gallery. Some of the art was valued at $100,000.

Wolton said Alderman sent him a letter saying he was going out of business due to financial constraints.

“The dealer sent me a circular letter stating that because of the economy, he had lost all his money and he had maxed out his credit cards, and he was going to close down,” said Wolton. “At that time, I didn’t realize that the paintings were missing.”

Wolton said he sent a driver to pick up the remaining paintings, but when they arrived, seven of them were missing, valued at least half a million dollars.

“Initially, when one hears of something like this, it’s a bit of a shock, but in some ways I feel flattered,” said Wolton.

Alderman was nowhere to be found.

“This might sound absurd, but I found the whole situation totally comical,” said Wolton, who added that the loss is not putting a financial strain on him and his wife.

Scottsdale Police Sgt. Mark Clark said authorities have not been able to find Alderman either, and that he may have fled overseas.

“Why on earth did you do it?” said Wolton. “What for? There's no particular motive, unless he was desperate, and unless he needed the money to abscond and find another life.”

Wolton said he believes Alderman sold the paintings to people in the Scottsdale area and used the money to get away.

Wolton said he doesn’t hold anyone who bought the paintings responsible, since they had no way of knowing they were stolen.

Police are looking for anyone who has seen Alderman or the missing paintings to come forward.