Man who walked into Tretyakov Gallery and calmly stole painting in plain sight gets three years in high-security prison

Moscow’s Zamoskvoretsky Court has sentenced Denis Chuprikov to three years in a high-security prison camp. In January of 2019, Chuprikov walked into the Tretyakov Gallery during visiting hours and removed a painting by Arkhip Kuindzhi from the gallery’s walls in full view of other visitors and staff. He grasped the painting in one hand and walked out of the building without interference from security personnel.

Chuprikov was arrested the day after the theft. He initially claimed that he had stolen the painting in order to pay off debts but later said he simply wanted to draw attention to himself and had intended to return the painting after a single day. The painting suffered minor, easily reversible damage. Chuprikov paid for its restoration.

Prosecutors asked for a sentence of four years in high-security prison in the theft. Chuprikov’s attorney recommended a suspended sentence in light of her client’s guilty plea.