SDCC: Art Theft Alert

Artist Eric Basaldua had two of his portfolio's stolen from the Zenscope Booth at this year's San Diego Comic Con.

The portfolio's contained original art, covers, and and prints. Any information would be appreciated in helping to recover these portfolio's and stopping the stolen works from being sold.

For more information, please refer to the links below:

Journal
Stolen Covers

Heh. It's not even the first time it's happened to him. Eric's gotta be more careful with his stuff.

I'll bet you that Bayani knows the guy a lot better than you do. Perhaps the situation is different than you think.

Hmmm I read no malice in Bayani's statement. It's bad that this happened and I hope the guy is caught and the art returned but honestly if this is not the first time it's happened then Ebas should indeed take better care to not give a thief access, this is not being mean it just being honest.

Have a friend or someone he trusts keep an eye on his stuff at all times or if you have to pay for some security measures. It doesn't have to be security personnel but a bolt through locking clamp would make it so no one is walking away with your art unless they have your key or a hacksaw... I'd like to think they would draw too much attention hacking with a saw to not be stopped/caught, Or you can have the art stored in a hard case and LoJack it... it may cost a grand but sounds like the art was worth a hundred times that so why not? Then if someone walks off with your stuff they get a surprise visit from the cops an hour later and you get your stuff back.

If something like this ever happened to me... it would be the first and only time. Period.

One --> Artz Giveaway <-- To Rule Them ALL!

I will settle this. ORANGE FTW! - Ex Libris

No idea on the intention behind the words, just saying how I read it. "Heh" I take as a bit of a laugh - probably not the best way to start a comment about a crime. Next we're told it's "not even the first time it's happened" which comes off to me as an attempt to minimize the impact or to blame the victim.

I imagine there would be quite the different response if in response to a different crime someone had said: Heh. It's not even the first time it's happened to her. She's got to be more careful where she walks.

I don't think anyone is ever asking for it or deserves it. Be it theft, ****, murder or whatever. Yes, people definitely should be careul of themselves and their possessions but no matter how careless they were I think it's crass to publicly laugh at and blame them.

Hmmm, I read it more as a lovable klutz comment. that friend of yours who seems to blow things up unintentionally all the time. His work seems pretty familiar. I hope it's just a case of left it sitting somewhere and it's all in a janitors closet safe and sound, it just doesn't know where it is.

I'm not one to call someone out by any means and I also said if I was misunderstanding I'd apologize. If Bayani knows the guy and there is more to it, then fine, but that isn't what was stated. As it was written it hit me as if he was saying it was the artists fault.

If he had said something to the effect of, "I know this guy and he's always misplacing things, he probably left it in the shower - lol", then I highly doubt I would have thought anything of it. I don't care if the guy is forgetful, if his property indeed was stolen then he should not be victimized further. If Bayani feels I owe him an apology I will do so and publicly, but as it stands I stick to my statement. At this point I'd rather not distract from the intent of Comrade's original post any further. Hit me with a PM if you need further clarification from me.

I didn't read anything condescending into it. You should take care of your art, especially if it's happened before. Yes, it's still a horrible thing to happen to an artist, but a lot of care should be taken at public events.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwillinger GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain_Photon NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.

Yay, a ****** bag stole art from an artist at comicon, a place that a lot of artists and industry people go to share their work and such for the fans... what a great way to repay them!

Also? No one keeps track of other people's contacts, without the added context of 'hey I know him'? Yeah it does sound a little like 'wow, it happened again, idiot'

I miss the days when you could stow stuff like that in a bag under the table, and have it remain untouched when you came back to it three hours later..(Yes, experienced it at conventions in Atlanta back in the eighties..and woe betide he who dared touch the bag while the owner was gone. Then again, back then, everyone knew everyone else. Kind of like a mobile small town going from con to con.)

Regardless of how it happened - I still feel sorry for the artist, hope that his portfolio will be returned to him as soon as possible, and it was an honest mistake.

You know, thieves are very cunning and usually work with a partner or partners, especially at large conventions or gatherings. And with the oversized costumes some people wear, it would be easy to hide what one snatches! So, it does not surprise me that this happened for a second time to Eric Basaldua, only because it is very easy to become distracted when you are being tag-teamed by thieves! And it can be difficult to watch everything you have brought to show/sell when working a booth. Especially if you don't have enough help, or your help needed to take a break.

Basaldua didn't deserve to have his portfolios stolen! Whomever took them, is/are definitely shallow!

Definitely not a "haha" matter! I really hope that some good person will find the missing portfolios and return them.

File a police report and try to get in contact with someone in law enforcement computer crime unit.. I wouldn't try the feds but I would try local first if your in a big enough city. End result your gonna have to find someone who sort of cares and finds it interesting, and you need to not come off as some sort of kook or nut job.

I am aware or have been told that Google was doing something along the lines of photo recognition or photo searching ( fuzzy hashing ). It is a stretch, but if someone from law enforcement could reach out to Google, they might be inclined to help out in such a unique case.

I will ask around to some people I know, IF I come across some positive info I will PM you on where to reach me.

You mentioned in the link that 22 pieces were worth 1.5k to 2k each.. What is the total worth, all 48 pieces. Your just about 45k for the 22 pieces. An approximate value on the other pieces would be nice also. So when talking to someone I can say 22 at this price and the other 26 at about this price.

Again I do NOT want to get your hopes up high. I'm just gonna make some calls and see what answers I get and we can take it from there.

Hey Plainguy Eric Basaldua (or Ebas) as he is known isn't here and doesn't post in these forums just people that know him/have met him.
If you think you can be of some help you can note him here. http://ebas.deviantart.com/

One --> Artz Giveaway <-- To Rule Them ALL!

I will settle this. ORANGE FTW! - Ex Libris

That majorly stinks.
I hope it ends up with him getting his stuff back.

Thanks for very kindly providing the link, Christopher!


About other posts in here.
One should always be mindful that what you post can be seen a number of ways and when you throw a short contrite comment, it may not represent your true feelings well enough to be worth posting.
That, however, is for the poster to decide.
I can certainly understand such a post coming off as poor taste to others, regardless of facts and/or intent behind it.
Quick replies aren't for people to do more research to see what might be the intent behind that poster's words.

Regardless... Not important in the grand scheme of things

Losing your work/art can be a monumental loss, emotionally, sentimentally as well as financially. I hope it works out to a happier ending.

EDIT: Although... it's not quite as bad if everything is backed up and such.
Then the actual perpetrator and crime and potential money being made off of that is what bothers you the most, I'd think.

This intent of this thread was to make people aware of a major theft of art at the San Diego Comic Con. Not to assign fault or blame to the affected artist, or to enter into a discourse on how things could have or should have been handled at the Comic Con to prevent what happened.

If you have any information that could help Eric Basaldua recover his stolen works, or prevent them from being sold, then please contact him.

Thank you for your consideration and support.

James Hansard aka Comrade Hero.

So it occurred to me that various art agencies keep a list or database of stolen items for reference by art dealers and pawn shops.

http://www.google.com/search?q=stole...archBox&ie=&oe=

http://www.pawnalert.com/
http://www.interpol.int/public/workofart/default.asp
http://www.artloss.com/

the 1st and 3rd link allow you to list items, the interpol link seems more along the lines of historically significant items, but maybe there is something in there that will let you list your pieces.

If the crook leaves the san diego area it'll be next to impossible to find the art. The best thing the community can do is canvas san diego pawn shops. Those i believe will be the most likely to come up with the art. Assuming it wasn't a crime of opportunity, in which case it was more likely taken for keeps.

So now you have both sides of my two inf.