PORTLAND, Ore. — You may have heard of the "FBI's most wanted," a national list of crooks and criminals wanted by the nation's most powerful law enforcement agency. Now the FBI wants your help finding its most wanted artwork.
The new app, "FBI National Stolen Art File," went live on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store on April 10. It marks the first time that the FBI has made its National Stolen Art File, or NSAF, available for download on public devices.
The move comes amid increasing partnerships between technology, law enforcement and the general public. For example, since 2018, the popular doorbell security company Ring signed up more than 800 law enforcement agencies as partners, according to NBC.
The NSAF database was originally designed for both national and regional law enforcement, as well as those who worked in the art acquisition industry. It was created, first on paper, back in 1979, as part of the FBI's oversight of interstate commerce. NSAF allows for art buyers to verify that the pieces they are purchasing are not stolen or being sold illegally. It also allows for the victims of theft and law enforcement to report and record stolen works.
The new app takes this a step further by allowing users to filter stolen art by geographic location, only showing them thefts in their area. It also allows users to save pieces to a separate folder for later viewing. The app's most helpful features are the ability to submit tips directly to the FBI, as well as share information to social media.
One piece that the FBI is looking for was created by Eliza Barchus, the so-called "Oregon Artist." Barchus and her husband moved to Portland from Utah in 1880. Barchus launched her art career and sold her first work five years later, a painting of Mount Rainier, for just $1. She hit the big time when her landscape of Mount Hood was displayed at the National Academy of Design in New York.
After her death in 1959, the Oregon Legislature officially named her "The Oregon Artist." The measure passed with unanimous support from lawmakers in 1971. The effort to honor Barchus was spearheaded by her daughter, Agnes Barchus, who was the first woman to serve as minutes clerk in the Oregon State Legislature.
The painting pictured above is a signed landscape by Barchus titled "Multnomah Falls." According to NSAF, it was stolen along with three other oil paintings during one incident, however where and when the theft took place are unclear.
Although the app is the first of its kind to be created by a U.S. law enforcement agency, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) launched an international stolen art catalogue for smartphones back in 2021.
