Denver police have arrested an 18-year-old man charged with destroying several pieces of historic Chinese and Mayan rare art that were part of an exhibition depicting animals through the ages at the Denver Art Museum.

Jake Siebenlist was arrested for alleged felony criminal mischief. He’s accused of shattering valuable figurines and damaging rare Mayan vessels and Chinese vases, Siebenlist allegedly shoved museum patrons out of his way while grabbing and throwing the rare and fragile sculptures, and pushing exhibits over, causing them to shatter, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

The museum is currently in the process of examining the art pieces to determine which pieces can be repaired and which ones are beyond repair. The suspect’s motive is not yet known.

The weirdly coincidentally titled “Stampede” exhibit has paintings and objects depicting animals in artwork throughout the centuries and in different cultures, including Deborah Butterfield’s horse sculptures and artwork by Frederic Remington and Georgia O’Keeffe.

Police say 10 Pieces of art were damaged or destroyed, causing over $20,000 worth of damage to the exhibit. Siebenlist allegedly tried to damage two paintings that were protected by plastic display cases but was unable to damage those artworks.

These are the risk exposures when an exhibition is open to public view. Something to keep in mind when loaning or exhibiting fine art. Even when loaning to reputable museums you should always have your own coverage. ArtInsuranceNow.com / Bernard Fleischer and Sons Inc. helps to mitigate those risks by providing comprehensive coverage to Artists, Museums, Galleries, Collectors, and Dealers.

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