Son of artist Frank Frazetta tries stealing $20M in paintings from dad

[Kommando]

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ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A Pennsylvania man used a backhoe to break into a museum owned by his father - the pioneering fantasy artist Frank Frazetta - in an attempt to steal 90 paintings valued at $20 million, police said Thursday.

State police charged Alfonso Frank Frazetta, 52, of Marshalls Creek, with theft, burglary and trespass after they say he was caught loading the artwork into his trailer and SUV.

I don't even know what to say to this.

[DrMike2000]

He's 52 years old and did this??!!!??

Yeah, I'm not sure what to say either

[Uncle Yuan]

I can virtually guarantee you he is either a drug or gambling addict.

[DrMike2000]

Yeah?
How do you come to that conclusion? Stealing 20 million dollars worth of paintings isn't the actions of someone who plans to take them down to the local pawn shop to procure a quick fix for some kind of addiction.

I'd have thought this was more a family feud kind of thing, the result of some bad blood thats built up over the years. Who knows what goes on within the Frazetta family? I've never grown up myself in the shadow of the world premiere Conan and chainmail-bikini artist, and have little idea how this would affect a father-son relationship. Is Frank Sr. perhaps one of those harsh exacting self-made man fathers who's expected his son to make his own way? Does Alfonso Frank Jr. have some sense of entitlementto a slice of the family fortune driving his actions here?

I can only speculate, but I don't immediately think gambling or drugs when I see this story.

I am kind of boggled by the idea of a Frazetta original being worth millions, though. There's something very surreal about the idea of a stately home with a giant painting of Conan in a gilt frame hanging in the dining room.

[bearded]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SG0q-pHgbg&feature=player_embedded

Lori Frazetta said the incident was the result of family infighting that began after the death of Frank Sr.'s wife a few months ago.

and another link for info:
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091211/NEWS/912110357/-1/rss01
from what i've read, the paintings were insured for 20 million.  can worth be calculated from insurance?
i wonder what one would actually sell for.