Painting and jewellery collection worth more than $400,000 stolen in Kew

Police are seeking any information to track paintings and jewellery allegedly stolen from a Kew woman’s home late last year, with the haul estimated to be worth more than $400,000.

What happened: Police said in a statement the victim’s brother visited the Stevenson Street property on Sunday December 28, immediately noticing the front door was off its hinges and a number of items were missing.

• Police said the items were believed to have been stolen across a number of visits between December 24, 2024 and 28 December, 2025, while the victim was away for an extended period.

💰 What was allegedly stolen: Police said items stolen included:

• A John Perceval “Sunflowers” painting worth more than $75,000;

• Three Criss Canning works worth between $30,000 and $50,000 each;

• Two antique Chinese paintings worth more than $10,000 each; and

• A strand of pearls worth more than $50,000.

• The offender/s also stole household items including vacuums and tools, as well as a large wine collection.

🔎 Any leads welcome: Boroondara Crime Investigation Unit Detective Sergeant Warren Atkinson said the incident had been “extremely distressing” for the victim, due to a number of the items holding “strong sentimental value”, including a sculpture purchased in Germany about 50 years ago.

• 🗣️ “We believe the offender/s have identified that the victim has not been at this property for some time and has taken this as an opportunity to revisit the premises again and again,” said Atkinson. “Any information we receive could lead to us identifying a person of interest and ultimately bringing some closure and comfort to this victim.”

Anyone with any CCTV footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make an anonymous report via www.crimestoppersvic.com.au