Trial date of infamous art thief is pushed back amid speculation he is just tip of the spear
Scottsdale, Arizona: The trial for an Arizona art thief accused of attempting to steal $250,000 worth of paintings has been postponed again, now rescheduled for November.
The defendant, 32-year-old Harpreet Singh, is facing charges for allegedly trying to steal three Picassos and two Andy Warhol works from the American Fine Art Gallery in Scottsdale.
The delay comes despite objections from Singh’s attorney, who argued against the postponement, citing his client’s ongoing detention. Singh has been in custody, with his legal team opposing further delays, but prosecutors requested additional time to prepare their case.
The incident took place when Singh allegedly attempted to take the artworks from the gallery. Law enforcement officials were alerted to suspicious activity at the gallery and quickly responded, eventually apprehending Singh.
Singh’s case has drawn the national spotlight, not just for the high-profile nature of the attempted theft, but also because of his previous actions while on pretrial release. Earlier this year, Singh was released under pretrial services but soon violated the terms of his release by removing his ankle monitor and fleeing to Las Vegas. Authorities discovered the discarded monitor in a dumpster, sparking a search for the fugitive. He was eventually tracked down and arrested by US Marshals at a luxury hotel in Las Vegas.
Police have also linked Singh to another art-related crime, this time in West Hollywood. Authorities are investigating any connections between the two incidents.