Police Investigating Theft Of Grateful Dead Memorabilia

Approximately $75,000 worth of Grateful Dead memorabilia which was recently auctioned off has been stolen from the auction house before the items were sent to its new owners. MySuburbanLife reports the McHenry County Sheriff’s police said “several items from the Grateful Dead Family Jubilee Auction were stolen at an unknown time during the weekend of April 25-26 from Donley’s Auction Services.”

Among the items thought to have been stolen is a hand-painted poster from 1966 by famed poster artists Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse featuring imagery of skeletons and roses. Mouse hand painted the original black-and-white poster just for the auction. “This is not a piece that can be re-sold. It is too well-known,” auction house owner Randy Donley told MySuburbanLife. Other items taken at the same time include a German promotional poster from 1986 and a Grateful Dead Statue Of Liberty poster from the same year as well as a 1966 “The Quick and the Dead” serigraph.

“Please help us solve this crime,” Donley said to MySuburbanLife, “I am offering a reward for its safe return. Please do not destroy it for fear of getting caught. We just want it returned.” If anyone has any information please contact the McHenry County Sheriff’s police at 815-334-4750 or anonymously to the Crimestoppers tip line at 1-800-762-7867.

[Hat Tip –@TheDeadBlog]