Bill Aldridge rues St Martin ‘steal of art’

Published: 1 October, 2010
by JOSH LOEB

AN artist has appealed for information after thieves stole his paintings from a West End gallery.

Bill Aldridge, who lives in John Adam Street, off The Strand, is currently exhibiting his artwork – a mix of West End street scenes and portraits – in the Crypt Gallery, underneath St Martin in the Fields in Trafalgar Square. 

On Thursday nine original watercolours from the exhibition, each valued at £200, went missing. 

He believes they were stolen by thieves who selected the best pieces before casually walking out of the gallery with the artworks and is calling on art buyers to keep their eyes peeled for them.

Mr Aldridge, who is the secretary of artists’ organisation The Drawing London Group, said: “I’ve exhibited at St Martin before and never lost a £2 card or an £8 print. On the watercolours is my signature and my website is written on the back. I am hoping that someone who buys them at a street market or something like that without knowing they are stolen will see that and go to the website, where I have put up information about the theft.”

He was looking on the bright side, though, and said: “The thieves took the best pieces, so I suppose I should be flattered that they thought they were worth taking. It puts me in the same league as Munch or Goya.”

Images of the stolen works are posted on Mr Aldridge’s website, www.billaldridge.com. 

One is of Hyde Park Corner, while another depicts the Thames at low tide. Paintings of Buckingham Palace and Lincoln’s Inn Fields were also among those stolen.

Other exhibitions currently on at the Crypt Gallery include a display of fourth plinth maquettes – shortlisted designs for the Trafalgar Square site.

Bill’s exhibition at St Martin in the Fields ends tomorrow (Saturday).