Art gallery hit by thieves

Nearly $1,000 worth of pottery and jewelry were stolen from a display case at a Bigfork art gallery Christmas night.

Artfusion, a consignment gallery on Electric Avenue, reports hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise was stolen from the exterior display case sometime Christmas night. Melanie Sidmore, who works in sales at the gallery, said the stolen pottery and jewelry belonged to 11 artists.

Because Artfusion is a consignment shop, the gallery is responsible for reimbursing the artists’ for their work if it isn’t recovered, Sidmore added.

“It’s disappointing, discouraging. Today I’m angry,” she said.

The thief or thieves apparently used a crowbar to pry open the display case, which has shatterproof glass, Sidmore said. Everything inside was stolen, including the stands that held two “fairly expensive” platters, she said.

There was no alarm or surveillance system on the case, Sidmore said.

The gallery has reported the theft to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and given deputies a list of the stolen items. Sidmore said she didn’t think the items could be sold to a local pawn shop, which might make them difficult to recover.

A car parked on Electric Avenue reportedly was broken into the same night, and Christmas lights on Osborne Landing, behind the store, were reported stolen around the same time, Sidmore said.

Anyone with information about the theft should contact the sheriff’s office or leave an anonymous message at the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce.