Police have now identified the Powassan man who is the suspect in the theft of a 1941 portrait of British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill by famed Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh
He is 43-year-old Jeffrey Iain James Wood.
See: Powassan man arrested in Winston Churchill photo theft
Wood was arrested on April 25 and appeared in court in Ottawa on the 27th charged with multiple offences.
See: Château Laurier believes swap of famous Churchill portrait was by a 'professional'
The photo was stolen from the lobby of Ottawa's Fairmont Château Laurier hotel in August 2022. It has been recovered in Italy.
It will be returned to the hotel.
Ottawa police say later this month, two Ottawa Police Service investigators will be in Rome, Italy, to retrieve the Yousef Karsh portrait of Sir Winston Churchill, which was stolen from the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa.
The Roaring Lion portrait was reported stolen in August 2022. The investigation revealed that the portrait had been taken between December 25, 2021, and January 6, 2022.
It was determined that the portrait was sold through an auction house in London to a buyer in Italy, both of whom were unaware that the piece was stolen.
"With the help of public tips, forensic analysis, and international cooperation, investigators tracked down the individual responsible for the theft. Additionally, open-source research and collaboration with other agencies were key in identifying the suspect," says a police news release.
With the assistance of international law enforcement agencies, Ottawa Police investigators identified and charged Wood for the theft and trafficking of the ‘Roaring Lion’ portrait.
Wood was arrested and charged with:
- Forgery
- Theft over $5,000
- Mischief/damage property exceeding $5,000
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
- Traffic in property or thing obtained by crime exceeding $5,000
- Possess property or thing obtained by crime for trafficking exceeding $5,000
The Ottawa Police Service says it has been working closely with the Carabinieri and the portrait's purchaser, a private citizen from Genoa, Italy, to ensure its safe return to Canada.
"With the assistance of the Carabinieri, arrangements have been made with the citizen to ceremoniously hand over the portrait to the Ottawa Police Service in Rome later this month."
Once in Ottawa Police custody, the portrait will be ready for the last step of its journey home to the Fairmont Château Laurier, where it will once again be displayed as a notable historic portrait.
The Ottawa Police Service would like to express its deepest gratitude to the public and partner agencies for their assistance with this file. The extensive investigation would not have been possible without their cooperation and assistance.
