Paintings, photos valued in the thousands stolen from Montauk art show

Police are investigating a series of thefts after multiple vendors had paintings and photographs stolen from their tents on back-to-back nights last week at the 30th Annual August Art Show on the Green in Montauk.

The event, hosted by the Montauk Artists Association and held on the Montauk Village Green, featured 72 vendors selling paintings, photographs, sculptures and other art.

Organizers said at least six artists had more than a dozen large pieces of artwork stolen.

Citing the ongoing investigation, East Hampton Town Police declined to detail the value of the artwork taken. An organizer said some of the pieces were valued at hundreds of dollars, while others were worth thousands.

The thefts were reported to have occurred between Thursday evening and early Saturday.

"We have five active larceny cases involving the theft of various pieces of artwork from tents of an art show located on the Montauk Village Green," police said in a statement. "At this time, the value of the stolen artwork will be determined based on available documentation...That evaluation process is ongoing, with estimates being determined case by case. There was hired security on site whom we are actively working with, in addition to the artwork coordinator."

Donna Corvi, Montauk Artists Association vice president and acting president, said two photographers with side-by-side tents close to the street had works stolen Thursday overnight into Friday, while additional vendors had works stolen Friday overnight into Saturday.

The art fair took place Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The vendors' setup day was Thursday.

According to Corvi, the pieces taken were not small. The larger pieces measured upward of 4-by-4 feet, she said.

"We've never had something of this magnitude happen," Corvi said, adding: "This was an individual — or individuals — who actually have an appreciation for art and who took selected pieces from people's tents. This wasn't random. ... And everything was either photography or paintings."

Photographers have the ability to remake prints, Corvi said, although the costs of printing and new frames can be high.

"With the paintings, once a piece is gone it's gone," she said.  "It's a huge loss for everyone involved."

The thefts mark the second straight year that the show was marred by an incident.

Last June, a driver crashed through a wooden barricade at Montauk Green, crashing through six vendor tents and damaging artwork valued at more than $100,000, organizers said.

As Corvi said Monday: "Is this like the theft at the Louvre? No. But, it's definitely deplorable and these pieces are the life work of some of these artists, and I just hope the police are able to find the individual or individuals who did this and bring them to justice."

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.