LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Thieves stole and vandalized several large handmade sculptures from the front of Bash and Design Gallery in Las Vegas on April 26, and the owner is now sharing surveillance footage to help track down those responsible.
The gallery, located at Buffalo and Sunset, estimates the stolen and damaged art is worth about $6,000. Surveillance video shows at least 5 different cars were involved in the theft.
WATCH | Las Vegas art studio seeks help after thieves steal handmade sculptures worth thousands
Owner Ekaterina Shestakova said a neighboring business sent her a text message about the damage. When she arrived, she found the studio's large metal rooster was missing from the property.
"I was like, wait, why is there a brick because that brick was attached to the rooster," Shestakova said.
A custom-made Hello Kitty statue was also missing. Shestakova said she also discovered the studio's giant dinosaur sculpture was missing its head.
"I wanted to cry, you know, it was just, -- it's -- sad, sad, sorry," Shestakova said.
Shestakova said seeing the damage to the dinosaur sculpture is especially upsetting because it is part of a bigger story her students created. The dinosaur was going to have a home, and inside were to be his friends — a story they will now have to rewrite.
"We'll come up with something new but it was one of those, you know, like of course we decided to create a cave for the dinosaur and now dinosaur is gone," Shestakova said.
Shestakova said the vandalism is taking an emotional toll on the studio's young students.
"They were actually in the process of painting, helping us paint the dinosaur," Shestakova said.
Bash and Design Gallery opened during the pandemic. Shestakova said her goal was to bring creativity to the Las Vegas Valley.
"Las Vegas needed a place of inspiring creativity, a school where you also educate and you make our city beautiful, you know, you show kids, adults that it doesn't matter what age you are, you can make your home beautiful," Shestakova said.
Shestakova said she was angry and disappointed after discovering the theft.
"I was angry I was just disappointed," Shestakova said.
The studio plans to create new art to replace what was lost. Shestakova said she hopes those involved learn a lesson from the incident.
"Think to yourself, is this the future I want to have, is this the people that I want to be surrounded by because I want them to really think about it and maybe we will be the lesson for them to prevent them from committing a bigger crime in the future," Shestakova said.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police are now investigating the crime. Bash and Design Gallery says it will continue working to make Las Vegas a beautiful and welcoming place.
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