A 200-year-old painting of George Washington was stolen from a Colorado storage unit in January, according to local police.
The Englewood Police Department (EPD) received a call Jan. 22 about the theft of the “historical painting” from a storage facility, but they believe the theft occurred two weeks earlier on Jan 10., police said Tuesday in a Facebook post.
“The painting is of our first president, George Washington, and was created in the early 1800s,” EPD said on Facebook. “The approximate size of the piece is 24 inches by 30 inches, measured in a gold-colored frame. The value is undisclosed and hard to estimate due to its historical significance,”
“We are asking for your help to find this national treasure!” EPD said. “Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for tips and tipsters can remain anonymous through that program.”
EPD said they were working alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Denver Office to locate the painting and thief. (RELATED: Heiress Backs Off 10-Year Legal Battle Over $1.8 Million Painting Stolen By Nazis).
The painting was in possession of an unidentified family for over 50 years, according to The Denver Post. Police told the outlet they don’t know if the alleged thieves knew that the painting was inside the storage unit at the time of the theft.
“The victim in the family is just asking for this painting to be returned,” Crystal Essman, the EPD media contact, told Fox 31. “It’s been in their family for 50 years, and obviously it’s an important piece of their history, as well as the nation’s history.”
“They would really just like it returned,” she added.
The investigation remains ongoing.