The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a second suspect in the theft of a door-sized painting from an Arabi business. The suspect, Harley Brown, 35, was taken into custody on Tuesday.
Charges and Arrests
Harley Brown faces charges of simple burglary and illegal possession of stolen property valued between $5,000 and $25,000. Michael Ostrager, 27, was arrested last week on the same charges in connection to the theft.
Officials say that surveillance footage played a key role in identifying the suspects. Investigators also discovered graffiti on the building, which they believe may be linked to the theft.
The Stolen Painting Returned
The stolen painting, titled Dueling Oak New Orleans City Park, has since been returned to the business located on the 7200 block of North Peters Street.
The painting, valued at $7,500, took a year to create and depicts a sprawling, moss-covered oak tree with people playing in the background, set in an open field within New Orleans’ City Park.
