Stolen Picasso Print Found After 8 Years in Milwaukee

When Tim Dertz started clearing out a vacant Milwaukee apartment in 2024, he noticed something odd hanging on the wall covered in dust. That dusty frame turned out to be a stolen Picasso worth over $50,000.

The rare "Torero" print, one of only 30 signed by Picasso, vanished in broad daylight from Bill DeLind's art gallery back in 2018. DeLind had long given up hope of ever seeing it again.

The evicted tenant had left belongings behind, including what looked like an old print tucked away in a strange corner. Instead of tossing it or keeping it, Dertz showed the piece to a friend who worked as an antique dealer.

The friend recognized it immediately as the Picasso reported stolen years earlier. Dertz took it straight to the Milwaukee police.

"When they called me, I was in disbelief," DeLind said when police asked him to identify the recovered artwork. "I was at a loss for words. It was an overwhelming moment for me."

The moment he saw it, DeLind knew it was his missing print. "It came back full circle," he said.

Why This Inspires

This story shows how everyday honesty can solve mysteries that seemed impossible. Dertz could have kept the valuable artwork or sold it quietly, but he chose to do the right thing.

DeLind's former business partner, who died in February, had been devastated by the theft. He called police every single year on the anniversary of the crime, begging them to publicize it again in hopes someone might recognize the print.

"He would have been over the moon about this," DeLind said. "It was special to him."

The recovery meant more than getting back a valuable piece of art. "When it disappeared, it was such a personal insult," DeLind explained. "So it was just the opposite when it came back. It's like, there are good people in the world."

The artwork remains with Milwaukee police while the original owner works things out with his insurance company. Sometimes the good guys really do win, even if it takes eight years.