30 years after art heist, museum hopes to get piece back
By ASTRID GALVAN, Associated Press
Nov 28, 2015 3:55 PM CST
This undated image provided by University of Arizona Museum of Art shows an oil canvas by artist Willem De Kooning, titled: "Woman-Ochre," 1954-55, a Gift of Edward Joseph Gallagher, Jr." The artwork was stolen 30 years ago from the University of Arizona Museum of Art in Tucson, Ariz. The museum is...   (Associated Press)

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — This weekend marks 30 years since thieves made off with a valuable painting from the University of Arizona Museum of Art.

The museum still hopes the painting will be returned. It wants to remind the public by displaying the empty wooden frame that once held Willem de Kooning's "Woman-Ochre" in the middle of gallery at the museum on campus. A sketch composite of a man and woman suspected of stealing the painting on Nov. 29, 1985, sits next to the frame.

Police say the man and woman were the only visitors at that museum when the woman distracted a security officer by making small-talk.

The man cut the painting out of the frame, and quickly walked out with his partner.

The painting was valued at about $600,000 when it was stolen.