Giacomo Bologna and Gregory J. Holman

Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A thief has stolen several Andy Warhol prints from the city's art museum, officials said.

The prints, part of Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans suite of 32 canvases, were acquired in 1985 in a gift from Ronald K., Robert C. and Larry H. Greenburg. An online database of some of the Springfield Art Museum's permanent collection indicates its 10 Warhol soup-can color screen prints were made in 1968.

"We're shocked and totally saddened," said Sally Scheid, chairwoman of the museum's board.

Someone broke into the city-owned museum and stole the artwork between 5:30 p.m. CT Wednesday and 8:45 a.m. Thursday, police spokeswoman Lisa Cox said. Interpol, a network of police in 190 member countries, and the FBI have been notified.

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In 2015, a similar 1968 color screenprint from Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup I series sold for $30,660, according to the website of London-based art auction house Christie’s.

Cox declined to say exactly what was taken but confirmed some artwork was stolen.

Prints of Campbell's Soup Cans and Eduardo Paolozzi's General Dynamic F.U.N. portfolio were part of an exhibition titled The Electric Garden of Our Minds: British/American Pop, which has been closed because of the investigation while the remainder of the museum is open.

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General Dynamic F.U.N. is a portfolio of 50 photolithographs and screen prints published in 1970. Individual prints from that set were recently listed at about $280 to $850 apiece by U.K.-based Gerrish Fine Art.

"We are still researching whether or not there has ever been a loss of artwork in the past," Cora Scott, a spokeswoman for the city, wrote in an email. "There hasn't been an incident in any recent history."

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The museum is constantly working to improve security and all the works are insured, she said. The policy's annual premium is $14,045, which comes from the museum budget funded by property taxes.

As part of an accreditation process, Scheid said the museum has been working for the past six months on an emergency preparedness plan that has not been completed yet. Part of that process has been to review the museum's security systems.

In Greenville, S.C., three pieces of a sculpture by renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly were reported stolen earlier this week, police there said. The pieces of the sculpture titled Rose Crystal Tower were estimated to be worth $2,500.

Security cameras are trained on the sculpture, which is outside in a garden of a public park, at all times, said Ed Zeigler, chairman of Greenville's Arts in Public Places Commission. And police have requested access to the recordings.

Contributing: Anna Lee and Nathaniel Cary, The Greenville (S.C.) News. Follow Giacomo Bologna and Gregory J. Holman on Twitter: @giacomo_bologna and @GregHolmanNL