Two men stole valuable artwork Friday from an elderly Evanston couple in the 2200 block of Central Street, according to an Evanston Police Department news release.
The men approached the home of Ronald Fink, 67, and his wife, Bonita, 68, around 9 a.m. Friday, claiming they had a large delivery. The men then pushed their way into the apartment, duct-taped the hands and feet of the elderly couple and made off with possibly as much as $200,000 in artwork, according to the EPD release.
Fink said Sunday, “You look forward; you don’t look back,” and declined to comment further. He spoke with other media outlets during the weekend, detailing his experience with the thieves.
“He threw me to the floor, then he literally jumped on me and proceeded to duct-tape my hands and feet,” Fink told ABC Chicago. “They were taking my wife and doing the same to her and put her under the dining room table.”
Fink received bruises and fractures during the scuffle and his wife suffered a mild heart attack.
“It’s gonna take more than what these kids dished out this morning to shoot down an old New York City kid,” Fink told the Chicago Sun-Times.
EPD spokesman Cmdr. Jay Parrott said Friday the injuries were not life-threatening, but both residents were initially taken to Evanston Hospital for treatment. Ronald Fink has since been released.
The two men took an oil painting and three prints, including one of a crucifixion scene, according to the news release.
EPD identified Giuseppe Guerreschi as the artist of the oil painting and the crucifixion print on Sunday. Investigators obtained the information from a family member of the elderly couple, Parrott said in an email. The Guerreschi pieces are worth anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 each, but the other two prints were not of value, according to the EPD release. Fink later told the Associated Press the paintings were worth only about $10,000.
“Forgive me, but when they realize how lack of value it is, they’re going to be pissed,” Fink told FOX Chicago.
The couple sold a painting worth $300,000 at a Sotheby’s auction last year, according to CBS Chicago. Parrott said EPD is working with the assumption the couple was specifically targeted due to the possibility of valuable artwork at their apartment.
“We don’t believe it to be a random act,” Parrott said. “Information may have been obtained that these paintings were in the residence and they were specifically targeted.”
Neighbors and residents said they were surprised Friday after hearing the news of the violent incident occurring in the usually quiet area near the Evanston-Wilmette border.
Subba Rao Nllagatla, who lives down the street from Fink, said Friday that the north Evanston neighborhood is normally a very safe environment.
“My 8-year-old daughter waits for the school bus here and it feels pretty safe,” Nllagatla said. “I have been living here for one year, and except for one incident, everything has been fine.”
The two men escaped with the help of a third man driving a small, white, box-style truck, possibly rented from Budget Rent a Car, according to the release. Police have yet to name any suspects in connection with the home invasion, as of Sunday night.
