Police officer searching meth lab discovers $33,000 worth of art

Empty frames
(Image credit: iStock)

An Albuquerque police officer set out to search a former meth lab in a condemned apartment, but he ended up discovering valuable artwork instead.

The officer found a portfolio of prints by Al Momaday, a late American Indian artist who died in 1981. He took them to the Albuquerque Museum, where a curator placed their value at $33,000.

"Knowing this, and knowing all the history about this apartment, I knew [whoever] left this property behind had no lawful reason to be in possession of this [artwork]," the officer wrote in his report.

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Officials believe the artwork may have been stolen, and the case is under investigation.

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Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.