Man Charged With Stealing ‘Wizard Of Oz’ Ruby Slippers Worth Around $3.5 Million

Forbes Business Breaking Man Charged With Stealing ‘Wizard Of Oz’ Ruby Slippers Worth Around $3. 5 Million Katherine Hamilton Forbes Staff I cover breaking news. Following May 17, 2023, 04:06pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline A Michigan man was indicted Wednesday with allegedly stealing a pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz , which are estimated to be worth millions.

A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in “Wizard of Oz” were stolen in 2005. FilmMagic Key Facts Terry Jon Martin, 76, stole the shoes in August 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where they were on loan from their owner, according to an indictment filed in the U. S.

District Court in the District of Minnesota. At the time of the theft, the slippers were insured for $1 million, but they are now estimated to be worth closer to $3. 5 million, according to the U.

S. Attorney’s Office in North Dakota. The case is being handled by North Dakota prosecutors but will be heard in Minnesota federal court, though the reason for Minnesota prosecutors’ recusal is unclear— Forbes reached out to the attorney’s offices in Minnesota and North Dakota for comment.

The slippers were recovered in 2018, just over a year after, someone approached the company that insured the slippers in the summer of 2017 and said he had information about how the then-missing shoes could be returned, and it became “apparent that those involved were attempting to extort the owners of the slippers,” according to the FBI’s announcement about finding the slippers. Key Background During the time of the theft, the slippers were on loan to the museum from Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw. Someone climbed through a window and broke the display case, prosecutors said when they were recovered in 2018 during an FBI-led sting operation in Minneapolis.

Shaw said they were in “pristine” condition upon their return to him. The once-stolen shoes are one of four surviving pairs Judy Garland wore during production of the 1939 musical film. Tangent The Wizard of Oz is widely ranked as one of the greatest movies of all time and was selected by the Library of Congress as one of the first films for preservation for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.

” Known for its use of technicolor—a novel technology at the time of filming—the movie’s directors chose to make Dorothy’s shoes red instead of silver, as they are in the original novel by L. Frank Baum. A pair of the ruby slippers, as well as other other iconic costumes and props, are popular attractions at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.

C. Further Reading Man charged with stealing ‘Wizard of Oz’ ruby slippers in 2005 from Judy Garland Museum (Star Tribune) Sting operation recovered Dorothy’s stolen ruby slippers (AP News) Send me a secure tip . Katherine Hamilton Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.