Südor family panintings stolen from storage

ISTANBUL-Hürriyet Daily News

Gülseren Südor is among the acknowledged artists of Turkish contemporary art.

Burglars broke into artist couple Gülseren Südor and Teoman Südor’s storage unit in Küçükyalı in Istanbul’s Anatolian side and stole 30 paintings Feb. 9.

While 90 percent of the stolen paintings belonged to Gülseren Südor, two belonged to Teoman Südor and three belonged to their daughter Telga Südor.

The robbery was intentional, according to Gülseren Südor. “This is an intellectual burglary,” she said, adding that the burglars had only stolen the Südor family’s paintings.

There were many other paintings from various Turkish artists in the storage unit, but burglars did not attempt to steal them, she said.

According to the Südor family’s written statement, the burglars were people who were commissioned to steal paintings. “They had to know the venue very well and also watched us getting in and out,” the statement said.

“Those people do know which artists’ paintings will receive attention and be valuable in the future, and they steal paintings according to future expectation. They know the art market very well,” said the family’s written statement.

They stole Gülseren Südor’s early paintings that she made during her stay in Italy. “There were also antique belongings in the storage. However, the burglars did not even touch them,” said Gülseren Südor in the family’s statement. “This means that they have stolen every painting on purpose. Those people know what to steal from where.”

Police were summoned to investigate the incident. “They have figured out that the burglars also used gloves, which means that they were professionals and left no trace behind them,” Gülseren Südor’s statement said.

The police suggested the Südor family look for the stolen paintings in İzmit and Ankara. “The burglars stole the paintings without signatures, which are old and made in Italy, after 1975,” Gülseren Südor said. “This means that this burglary was made to sell the paintings in the market.” Because the paintings have no signatures, the thieves will be able to sell them to auction houses or art galleries, said the family’s statement.