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Man accused of stealing ‘Wizard of Oz’ ruby-red slippers in 2005 indicted by federal grand jury
Man accused of stealing ‘Wizard of Oz’ ruby-red slippers in 2005 indicted by federal grand jury
Dorthy's ruby red slippers can't just take you home, they can also land you in federal court. That much was made apparent after a federal grand jury indicted Terry Martin, 76, with one count of theft of a major artwork for allegedly stealing one of four remaining pairs of Dorthy's ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz. The indictment claims that Mr Martin stole the slippers — worn by Judy Garland in her iconic 1939 role — in 2005 during an after-hours "visit" to the Judy Garland Museum in the actress's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Federal prosecutors alleged on Tuesday that Mr Martin climbed into the museum through a window, broke a display case containing the slippers, and took off with the legendary film artefact, according to ABC News. The museum's alarm had been tripped, but it failed to alert local police, according to a report by The Guardian. “The biggest thing that ever happened to our museum was getting the slippers stolen. We were literally crying,” the museum’s co-founder, Jon Miner, told KQDS just after the robbery. The slippers were on loan to the museum from Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw when they were stolen. The other three pairs worn in the movie are in the possession of a private collector, the Smithsonian, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. At the time of their theft, the slippers were insured for $1m but had a market value of approximately $3.5m. After they disappeared, law enforcement, enthusiasts and film history buffs offered up rewards for the slippers' safe return, with one anonymous donor in Arizona offering up to $1m. The museum even hired a private investigator in 2013 to try to track down the slippers, but the investigation never made headway. In 2017, a man came forward and told the company that insured the slippers he could assist in their recovery. That man was later found to have been allegedly attempting to extort the individual who stole the shoes, according to the FBI. The agency launched a nearly year-long investigation, after which they launched a sting operation to recover the slippers. The FBI managed to recover the slippers in Minneapolis during the operation, and later examination by experts confirmed the shoes were authentic. However, no arrests were made following the sting, as the FBI was continuing its investigation into who actually stole the memorabilia. Since the 2018 recovery operation, the agency has been working to rule out suspects. Little is known about Mr Martin beyond his age. The indictment did not include a motive or any details about how investigators determined Mr Martin was behind the alleged theft. No attorney's information is available for Mr Martin. Read More Stolen ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz found by FBI after 13 years $1 million reward offered for the return of Judy Garland's ruby red slippers, a decade after they were stolen from a museum The Wizard of Oz most influential film of all time, study finds
2023-05-18 05:29
Alaska asks US Supreme Court to strike down the rejection of a proposed copper, gold mine
Alaska asks US Supreme Court to strike down the rejection of a proposed copper, gold mine
The state of Alaska wants the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down a federal agency’s rejection of a proposed copper and gold mine in southwest Alaska’s Bristol Bay region
2023-07-28 01:56
Haitians are dying of thirst and starvation in severely overcrowded jails
Haitians are dying of thirst and starvation in severely overcrowded jails
Haiti’s inmates are thirsty and starving in severely overcrowded jails, many forced to sleep standing up
2023-06-08 19:27
Bolivia government says trustee probing bank died by suicide, but some demand new investigation
Bolivia government says trustee probing bank died by suicide, but some demand new investigation
The trustee of a bankrupt bank in Bolivia who died after falling from the 15th floor of an office building killed himself, a forensic investigation has concluded, in a case that has gripped Bolivia amid speculation over whether he jumped or was pushed
2023-06-01 10:29
International mafia bust shows US-Italy crime links still strong
International mafia bust shows US-Italy crime links still strong
While decades of prosecutions weakened the US and Italian mafia, transatlantic relations remain strong.
2023-11-12 01:29
'It got awkward': John Stamos' ex-wife Rebecca Romjin lost interest in his memoir after his interview on 'The Howard Stern Show'
'It got awkward': John Stamos' ex-wife Rebecca Romjin lost interest in his memoir after his interview on 'The Howard Stern Show'
'There’s like a little bit of an eye roll happening with each other,' Rebecca Romjin's husband Jerry O’Connell said
2023-11-16 02:58
'Fell in love this morning': Lara Spencer urges fans to adopt rescue animals as she cuddles pup on sets of 'GMA'
'Fell in love this morning': Lara Spencer urges fans to adopt rescue animals as she cuddles pup on sets of 'GMA'
Lara Spencer shared adorable snaps with a rescued pit bull mix from the 'GMA' sets and urged people to call the shelter to adopt him
2023-11-22 16:47
Rhodes holiday has become a survival exercise - Newmarket family
Rhodes holiday has become a survival exercise - Newmarket family
The Piercefield-Holmes family from Suffolk say it has been "almost apocalyptic" amid wildfires in Rhodes.
2023-07-23 21:48
Key GOP lawmaker calls for renewal of surveillance tool as he proposes changes to protect privacy
Key GOP lawmaker calls for renewal of surveillance tool as he proposes changes to protect privacy
The Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee is calling for the renewal of a key U.S. government surveillance tool while also proposing a series of changes aimed at safeguarding privacy
2023-11-17 02:20
'Barbenheimer' arrives as moviegoers flock to a Mattel-mushroom cloud double feature
'Barbenheimer' arrives as moviegoers flock to a Mattel-mushroom cloud double feature
Waves of pink-clad moviegoers passed under carboard palm trees on the frenzied first day of “Barbenheimer.”
2023-07-22 01:23
For presidents, July Fourth is a day to chill or strut or get an earful of red, white and boo
For presidents, July Fourth is a day to chill or strut or get an earful of red, white and boo
Through history, the Fourth of July has been a day for some presidents to declare their independence from the public
2023-07-02 19:59
South Korea evacuates thousands of scouts ahead of typhoon
South Korea evacuates thousands of scouts ahead of typhoon
By Hyunsu Yim BUAN/SEOUL, South Korea (Reuters) -South Korea on Tuesday evacuated the majority of teenage scouts from their campsite
2023-08-08 16:25