Cops back off as Poly sets missing painting probe

Qi Luo

Thursday, April 10, 2014

A police spokesman said Poly Auction requested them to "withdraw the case and that they do not need police assistance."

Police are treating the case as lost property and will not follow up on it unless a new lead emerges.

Poly said it will launch an investigation and assured that all auctioned items were insured and would be compensated according to Hong Kong's insurance laws.

"Snowy Mountain," by renowned Chinese artist Cui Ruzhuo, was bought at a sale by Poly, the world's third-largest auctioneer, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Monday.

CCTV footage showed a security guard appearing to accidentally kick a tube, believed to have contained the painting, into a stack of rubbish, which was then shipped to a landfill.

The incident raised concern over whether Poly had been acting professionally in handling artworks.

After being sold, the painting was placed with other sold items in a corner of the hall that night.

The person in charge, returning the next morning to pick up the valuables, then discovered it was lost and reported it to police.

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Cops back off as Poly sets missing painting probe