Matthew Taylor
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LOS ANGELES -- An art dealer wanted for grand theft of a Granville Redmond painting has surrendered to authorities.
Matthew Taylor, who's accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of paintings from a local surrendered to police in Florida on Thursday.
In October 2006, Taylor, who worked as an art dealer taking paintings and other work on consignment, visited L.A. Fine Art Gallery and allegedly took a painting by Granville Redmond out of a storage room, then sold it at a Santa Monica art show, telling the buyer he was selling it for his mother.
William Karges, the owner of galleries in Beverly Hills and Carmel, bought the piece for $85,000 and sold it to a client for more than $236,000.
Gallery personnel only realized it was stolen when detectives posted a crime alert on the LAPD's Web site in 2007.
Police said three paintings disappeared from the same art gallery between 2004 and 2006 at times coinciding with visits by Taylor.
Two of the stolen artworks valued at $40,000 were turned over to police on Tuesday.
Several other thefts from L.A. Fine Art Gallery are believed to be Taylor's work, and detectives want to talk with anyone else who may allegedly have been victimized by him.
Paintings by Johann Mertz, William Malherbe and Lucien Frank are among those believed to have been taken by Taylor, who sometimes used the alias Matthew Taylor Nelson, according to the LAPD.
Police said they are still searching for Taylor's 76-year-old mother, Patricia Taylor, to determine if she is being exploited by her son. She is believed to be in poor mental and physical condition.
Police say the Taylor also goes by the name Matthew Taylor Nelson.
His bail is set for $500,000.
Matthew Taylor, who's accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of paintings from a local surrendered to police in Florida on Thursday.
In October 2006, Taylor, who worked as an art dealer taking paintings and other work on consignment, visited L.A. Fine Art Gallery and allegedly took a painting by Granville Redmond out of a storage room, then sold it at a Santa Monica art show, telling the buyer he was selling it for his mother.
William Karges, the owner of galleries in Beverly Hills and Carmel, bought the piece for $85,000 and sold it to a client for more than $236,000.
Gallery personnel only realized it was stolen when detectives posted a crime alert on the LAPD's Web site in 2007.
Police said three paintings disappeared from the same art gallery between 2004 and 2006 at times coinciding with visits by Taylor.
Two of the stolen artworks valued at $40,000 were turned over to police on Tuesday.
Several other thefts from L.A. Fine Art Gallery are believed to be Taylor's work, and detectives want to talk with anyone else who may allegedly have been victimized by him.
Paintings by Johann Mertz, William Malherbe and Lucien Frank are among those believed to have been taken by Taylor, who sometimes used the alias Matthew Taylor Nelson, according to the LAPD.
Police said they are still searching for Taylor's 76-year-old mother, Patricia Taylor, to determine if she is being exploited by her son. She is believed to be in poor mental and physical condition.
Police say the Taylor also goes by the name Matthew Taylor Nelson.
His bail is set for $500,000.
