Man behind Churchill portrait heist going to jail

The notorious art thief responsible for the international heist that started in Ottawa has finally been sentenced to jail time. Jeffrey Wood, the mastermind behind the theft of the world-renowned portrait of Winston Churchill titled “The Roaring Lion,” was handed a two-year less a day sentence at the Ottawa Courthouse.

The daring heist took place between Christmas 2021 and early January 2022 when Wood stole the iconic portrait from Ottawa’s Château Laurier hotel, replacing it with a fake. The portrait, a scowling wartime depiction of Churchill, was a gift from the celebrated photographer Yousuf Karsh to the hotel in 1998. Following its disappearance, an international hunt ensued, leading to the portrait’s eventual return to the hotel.

Wood’s criminal activities came to light when he approached Sotheby’s auction house to sell a print of “The Roaring Lion” from the Karsh estate. He also made social media posts hinting at his plans to leave Canada and even placed a mysterious two-minute phone call to the hotel just days before the theft took place.

The theft went unnoticed until August when a vigilant hotel staff member noticed discrepancies with the replacement portrait. The portrait had been securely affixed to the wall with specialized bolts, indicating that the thief possessed unique knowledge and tools to carry out the crime.

The brazen theft captured international attention and prompted a thorough investigation by Ottawa police that spanned multiple countries and continents. Eventually, investigators traced the stolen portrait to a buyer in Genoa, Italy, who had unknowingly purchased it through a London auction house. Upon learning of the portrait’s stolen status, the buyer promptly agreed to return it to its rightful place.

The dramatic saga of the stolen Churchill portrait has come to a close with Wood’s sentencing. The portrait, a symbol of Canadian history and artistry, has been restored to its original location at the Château Laurier hotel. The successful recovery of the stolen artwork serves as a testament to the dedication and perseverance of law enforcement agencies in combating art crime on a global scale.