Two paintings by Lionel Sosa were stolen from AnArte Gallery at The Collection shopping center at Broadway and Sunset Road.“I thank God that nobody was here,” said Ana Montoya, who owns the Alamo Heights gallery. “Sometimes we have people working late. I was here until 1 in the morning, and they came at 4.”
It was the second time the gallery has been vandalized this month. In both instances, security footage captured what appears to be the same large, black pickup truck pulling up to AnArte early in the morning. The first incident was at 2 a.m. May 6, when a window was smashed. Nothing was taken that time. The second incident was at 4:31 a.m. Monday. That’s when the Sosa paintings were stolen.Photos that Montoya posted on social media along with the security footage show smashed windows.
The exhibit is billed as the first solo show for Sosa, who made a name for himself as a marketing executive and political consultant and now paints full time. Montoya said nothing like this has happened to her in the 22 years she has run AnArte, aside from an incident several years ago when a woman stole her wallet.