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Man Allegedly Destroys $5M Worth Of Museum Artifacts Because He Was 'Mad At His Girl'
After a fight with his girlfriend, Brian Hernandez allegedly broke into the Dallas Museum of Art and destroyed millions of dollars worth of art.
A Texas man is accused of breaking into the Dallas Museum of Art and destroying millions of dollars worth of art because he was upset with his girlfriend.
Brian Hernandez, 21, allegedly broke into the museum on Wednesday night by smashing the front entrance with a metal chair, an arrest warrant obtained by KXAS-TV reports.
Then, he allegedly proceeded to destroy and damage multiple works of art and ancient artifacts, including statues and pots. Investigators estimate that he destroyed $5,153,000 worth of artwork using a stool. Amongst the destroyed items was a 6th Century ceramic cup called "Kylix Herakles and Nemeon Lion," valued at $100,000, and "Black Figure Panel Amphora 6th Century Greece" pot. The pot, along with "Red Figure Pyxis 450 B.C." pot, were together valued at $5 million.
He also used hand sanitizer stand to destroy a glass case that had a 2018 ceramic piece called Batah Kuhuh Alligator Gar Fish Effigy Bottle inside it, the Smithsonian Magazine reports.
A statement released by the museum on Thursday noted that while they are “devastated by this incident,” they are ”grateful that no one was harmed.”
“This was an isolated incident perpetrated by one individual acting alone, whose intent was not theft of art or any objects on view at the museum,” the statement reads.
Hernandez has been charged with criminal mischief greater than $300,000. He is currently being held at Dallas County Jail on a $100,000 bond, CBS News reports. It’s not clear if he has a lawyer.
The incident comes two weeks after a man attempted to damage the famed Mona Lisa in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
