The
Art Loss Register (ALR) is the world's largest private international
database of lost and stolen art, antiques and collectibles that
provides recovery and search services to collectors, the art trade,
insurers and law enforcement through technology and a professionally
trained staff of art historians. Mission
The Mission of the ALR is to recover stolen and missing art and
antiques and to provide a central clearinghouse for acquirers
of art to determine good title thereby deterring theft and the
trade in stolen art. Operations
In order to carry out this mission, the ALR's art historians register
over 10,000 losses from insurers, owners and law enforcement agencies
on its database each year. The database of over 100,000 uniquely
identifiable stolen and missing items is searched by the same
art historians against over 300,000 items each year. This has led to the recovery of
over 1000 stolen and missing items and many other associated items.
The process of recovery and returning the item to the owner can
often be a long and complex process, exacerbated by the length
of time since the theft and the complexity of title law. The ALR
works closely with owners, insurers, lawyers and law enforcement
to facilitate recovery. | 
