Wizard Of Oz Ruby Slippers Thief Avoids Prison

Martin, who pleaded guilty to the theft of the Wizard of Oz slippers, regarded legally as a major artwork, faced his sentencing with stoicism on Monday in Duluth, Minnesota. His lawyers successfully negotiated a plea deal that resulted in no additional time behind bars, citing Martin’s failing health and his entry into hospice care with a life expectancy of six months. The judge ruled that Martin’s previous time served was adequate to cover the offense and allowed Martin to spend the remainder of his life at home.

The ex-mobster’s story reads so much like a noir script that it’s hard to believe the events are real life. At the time of the burglary, Martin was an ex-mobster in his late 50s with a history of past burglaries and criminal activity. Before he stole the Wizard of Oz slippers, Martin had not committed any crimes in the 10 years since his release from prison. 

But old habits are hard to forget. Martin claims that in 2005, an unnamed mob associate convinced him to carry out “one last score” when he heard that the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz were to be on loan at the museum in Grand Rapids. According to Martin’s lawyer, the ex-mobster initially passed on the opportunity. Still, the idea of committing one final heist kept him up at night until he eventually gave in to the temptation.

Martin confessed to breaking into the museum under the cover of night, smashing through glass with a hammer to pilfer the slippers. The stolen Wizard of Oz footwear, insured for a cool $1 million, held the promise of a substantial payday. However, Martin’s dreams of riches were shattered when he discovered the rubies were mere glass.

Surprisingly, Martin professed ignorance of the historical importance of the slippers, claiming he had never seen The Wizard of Oz and didn’t know the movie was culturally significant. After realizing that the gems on the shoes weren’t real, he quickly got rid of them, removing himself from the evidence of the crime.

The wheels of justice turned slowly for Martin. Thirteen years passed before the FBI’s art crime team, following a sting operation, recovered the stolen slippers. The recovery came after a man approached the insurer, claiming he could get the famous Wizard of Oz slipper back. It took another year for Martin to be charged with the crime, and it wasn’t until January that the case was put to rest.

The ruby slippers Martin stole were not the only pair worn by Garland in The Wizard of Oz. At least five pairs of slippers worn during the film’s production are known to have survived. They are in various museums, including a pair currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

Source: Associate Press