The man, who is currently at large, is being charged with one count of theft of government property and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property. The indictment alleges that he stole the slippers from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where they were on display.
The shoes, one of only four known pairs used in the filming of “The Wizard of Oz,” are valued at $2 million to $3 million. They were famously worn by Garland as she played the role of Dorothy in the 1939 classic.
The recovery of the slippers in 2018 was a major coup for the FBI, which had been working on the case for more than a decade. The shoes were found in a sting operation that involved an undercover agent posing as a potential buyer. The man who is now being indicted was allegedly involved in the plan to sell the stolen slippers to the agent.
The indictment is a significant step forward in the case, but it remains unclear when or if the man will be brought to justice. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota. If convicted, the man faces up to 10 years in prison on each count.
Terry Martin was indicted Tuesday with one count of theft of a major artwork, prosecutors announced Wednesday. The indictment did not provide any further information about Martin and online records do not list an attorney for him. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported that Martin is 76 and lives 12 miles south of the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. When reached by the newspaper, he said, “I gotta go on trial. I don’t want to talk to you.”
The charge against Terry Martin is related to the theft of the ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.” The slippers were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in 2005, and were recovered in a 2018 FBI sting operation. While no arrests were made at the time of the recovery, Martin has now been charged with theft of a major artwork.
Martin, who is 76 years old and lives near the museum, declined to speak to a reporter from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune when contacted about the indictment. It is not currently known if he has an attorney. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison. The ruby red slippers are valued at $2 million to $3 million and are one of only four known pairs used in the filming of “The Wizard of Oz.”
Janie Heitz, executive director of the museum, told The Associated Press she was surprised the suspect lived nearby but said no one who works at the museum knows him. Garland wore several pairs of the ruby slippers during production of the 1939 musical, but only four authentic pairs remain. When they were stolen, the slippers were insured for $1 million but the current market value is about $3.5 million, federal prosecutors said in a news release.
Janie Heitz, the executive director of the Judy Garland Museum, expressed surprise that the suspect Terry Martin lived nearby, stating that none of the museum staff knew him. Heitz thanked law enforcement for their work on the investigation and expressed her hope that justice would be served in the case.
During the production of “The Wizard of Oz,” Judy Garland wore several pairs of ruby slippers, but only four authentic pairs are known to exist. At the time of the theft in 2005, the slippers were insured for $1 million, but today they are estimated to be worth $3.5 million. The recovery of the slippers in a 2018 FBI sting operation was a major victory for law enforcement, and the indictment of Terry Martin on theft charges is another step toward justice in the case.
The pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz have been recovered after being stolen from a museum in Minnesota 13 years ago. The shoes, which are one of four known surviving pairs from the film, were recovered last summer. Police in Minneapolis have now charged a man with stealing the shoes after tracing them through a combination of CCTV footage, DNA evidence and information from an informant. The shoes were insured for $1m (£780,000).
The ruby slippers were on loan to the Judy Garland Museum in the movie star’s hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, when they were stolen from a display case in 2005. It was reported that the alarm had not been activated as it was faulty.
The slippers are made up of a dozen different materials comprising wood pulp, silk thread, gelatin, plastic and glass. Although the sequins are mainly responsible for their ruby color, the bows on the shoes are adorned with red glass beads. To date, only four pairs of the famous slippers are known to exist, with one pair having been bought for $666,000 (£516,000) at a 2000 auction. The theft case drew national attention and a reward of $1 million (£773,000) was offered for information leading to their safe return.
The other three pairs of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in the movie are currently held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Smithsonian, and a private collector. The pair that was stolen was on loan from Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw, who was reported to have received an insurance payment seven years after their theft.
The director of the Judy Garland Museum has expressed hope that the slippers will return to Garland’s hometown after the ongoing legal proceedings come to an end.