Ooops!  So far well over a dozen of you reminded me by email that when I
invited you to visit the Home Page regarding museum security, I forgot to
post the address.  Am I dumb, or what?  (Don't answer that!)
Please visit us at our Home Page at:
                       http://www.cnilink.com/intlartcop

Regarding Henry Crawford's insight on the Cezanne theft and the impact it
had on the city of Chicago, let me add that a theft always has an impact
on morale of the staff. I've been involved with thefts at many museums for
clients and it's always the same.  At the Art Institute, one older man who
had been a guard for many years told me that he used to wear his uniform
blazer home on the bus each  night so everyone would see that he was an
Art Institute Guard.  But after the theft and the negative comments in the
press, he felt ashamed and always changed before leaving the building. You
can imagine the morale problems we had in-house.
And even though the paintings were recovered unharmed, the costs to the
museum in every way were considerable.  People don't die and leave their
paintings to a museum that is perceived to not be able to hang on to them.
The vacancy in the position of director went unfilled even longer than
might have been. Etc.
Given the choice of having the largest art theft in American history at
your museum or having a root canal without benefit of painkiller, take the
root canal.
On the upside, the Art Institute became a model in many ways and those who
went through the theft and rebirth felt a connection that was beneficial
to the organization.

Steve Keller, CPP
Steve Keller and Associates, Inc
1939 Algonquin Avenue
Deltona, FL 32725