A painting titled “Lady of the Lake” painted by Marianne Thompson is shown in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Marianne Thompson (Mandatory Credit)
Police hunt for stolen paintings, including one of vintage Lake of the Woods yacht
WINNIPEG - Police in Winnipeg are asking the public for clues as they try to solve a theft of two paintings from an art gallery’s warehouse, and while the pieces aren’t famous or even particularly valuable, one of them is a favourite of the woman who painted it.
A painting titled “Lady of the Lake” painted by Marianne Thompson is shown in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Marianne Thompson (Mandatory Credit)
WINNIPEG - Police in Winnipeg are asking the public for clues as they try to solve a theft of two paintings from an art gallery’s warehouse, and while the pieces aren’t famous or even particularly valuable, one of them is a favourite of the woman who painted it.
“Lady of the Lake,” a 2021 oil painting by Marianne Thompson depicting the Grace Anne II, an 85-foot mahogany yacht built in the early 1930s, was one of two paintings that police say were taken sometime between 5:43 p.m. on Aug. 14 and 5:42 a.m. on Aug. 15 from a warehouse in the 200 block of McDermot Avenue.
Const. Claude Chancy said the warehouse was part of an art gallery. An unknown suspect or suspects entered it by breaking a window, stole two paintings worth almost $9,000 and fled the building.
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Chancy said the two paintings were the only items stolen. The other painting was “First Snow of the Season” by Ida Mackenzie.
Both paintings are listed on the website for Warehouse Artworks on McDermot Avenue. The price for Thomson’s is $8,250.
Thompson said the owner of the gallery told her in-person about the theft.
“I was agog at first. You think of art theft, heists and real artists’ paintings. It was shocking,” Thompson said when reached by phone Saturday at her home in Gloucester, MA.
“It did have a high price tag on it, but I think most people know art isn’t worth anything until it’s purchased. I mean, that’s what establishes its value, the fact that it’s been sold.”Â
She said she’s hoping the gallery’s insurance will cover the painting.
Police are asking anyone with information, or with security, cellphone or dashcam video in and around the time of the incident, to contact their Major Crimes Unit.
The owner of the gallery did not return a request for comment on the theft.
The Grace Anne II has continued to operate on Lake of the Woods, which straddles Ontario, Manitoba and Minnesota, providing luxury cruises. According to the website of the company that operates the vessel, it was built in 1931 as a birthday gift by John Forlong to his wife, Grace Anne.
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In 1946, the website says the boat was sold to Ralph Erwin, then owner of the Salisbury House restaurant chain. By the 1950s, it was owned by the 3M Company of St. Paul, MN, which continued to own it for decades.
Thompson said she grew up on Lake of the Woods and still spends four months of the year there. The Grace Anne II used to do an overnight stop near her family’s camp, and Thompson said she’d always wanted to paint it but didn’t think she had the skill.
Finally, in 2020 at the urging of a friend who has since passed on, she took on the challenge.
“She’s the ‘Lady of the Lake.’ She’s the most beautiful boat that’s ever been on the water,” Thompson said. “It’s just a huge part of being there, of all the best things about Lake of the Woods.”
“I personally think it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. So it’s a bit annoying that it’s gone now and I’ll have to do another best thing. But that’s what we’re here for.”Â
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2025.
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