Texas man breaks into art museum and destroys $5MILLION worth of irreplaceable ancient Greek artifacts and a Native American ‘effigy bottle’ – telling police he carried out the rampage because he was ‘mad at his girl’
- Brian Hernandez, 21, smashed the front door of the Dallas Museum of Art, and then did the same to up to $5million worth of ancient artifacts
- Two of the artifacts were a pair of ancient Greek pots from the 6th century BCE, the pair of which alone could be worth $5million
- Hernandez called 9-11 on himself from within the museum before he was apprehended by security, and he confessed his crimes to arresting officers
A man, 21, broke into the an art museum and destroyed $5million worth of irreplaceable ancient Greek artifacts after a fight with his girlfriend.
Brian Hernandez, 21, was apprehended by security guards during his Wednesday night rampage at Dallas Museum of Art, Texas.
He later told Dallas police he’s decided to destroy the priceless ancient artwork because he was ‘mad at his girl.’
Hernandez destroyed at least three ancient Greek artifacts that had survived 2,500 years before he came along.
He also destroyed a contemporary Native American piece, a Greek cup from about 540 BCE, and the glass front door of the museum.
Early estimates of Hernandez wrath were $5,153,000.
Brian Hernandez, 21, was apprehended after smashing up to $5million worth of art and ancient artifacts inside the Dallas Museum of Art
Two of the items destroyed by Hernandez, both dating back to 6th century BCE ancient Greece. The pair alone could be worth up to $5million
The rampage started at about 9:40pm on Wednesday night, when Hernandez smashed open the glass front door of the museum with a metal chair.
Police say surveillance footage shows Hernandez using a stool to smash apart two display cases, and numerous pieces of ancient art. Two of those pieces were a pair of pots valued at $5million together.
At one point he picked up a contemporary piece of Native American ceramic effigy worth $10,000 and slammed it to the ground where it shattered into pieces. He also massacred an ancient Greek cup worth $100,000.
‘The items inside of the display cases that were destroyed are rare ancient artifacts that are extremely precious and one of a kind,’ police said in an affidavit.
Black-figure kylix destroyed by Hernandez worth $100,000, dating back to the 6th century BCE
A contemporary Native American effigy bottle worth about $10,000. Security footage shows Hernandez lifting the item up and smashing it on the ground
In addition to the artifacts damaged, Hernandez wrought havoc upon a telephone, a computer, and a bench.
A security guard found Hernandez on the museum’s main concourse after a motion detecting sensor went off. When the guard asked Hernandez what he was doing, he said he responded that ‘he got mad at his girl so he broke in and started destroying property.’
Police say that Hernandez also called 9-11 on himself from inside the museum. Police arrived on the scene around 10:10pm.
Hernandez was arrested and confessed his crimes to officers, according to police.
Museum director Agustín Arteaga said in a statement on Thursday that the museum is working with insurers to asses the damage, and that the estimate could be lower than the initial $5million figure.
‘We anticipate the real total could be a fraction of the original $5 million estimate’ he said.
The museum was open on Thursday, while some of the sections Hernandez damaged remained closed as the investigation continues.
Dallas police outside the Dallas Museum of Art after Hernandez broke in and destroyed the art and artifacts
The smashed glass front door of the museum. To the right, the metal chair that Hernandez began his rampage with