A midday sculpture-smashing rampage outside the Museum of Biblical Art in north Dallas left more than $300,000 in damage and a 34-year-old man in custody on Monday, according to police. The suspect allegedly tore through several works in the museum’s outdoor sculpture area near NorthPark Center, then tried to force his way into the closed building before officers moved in and arrested him at the scene.
Dallas police identified the suspect as 34-year-old Elvis Santos and said he damaged several sculptures outside the museum before attempting to break in at about 1 p.m. on Monday, according to The Dallas Morning News. Jail records show Santos is being held in the Dallas County Jail on charges that include felony criminal mischief and resisting arrest, with a bond set at $11,000. Police told the paper they estimate the damage exceeded $300,000.
Where It Happened and What the Museum Houses
Per the museum’s website, the Museum of Biblical Art at 7500 Park Lane bills itself as three museums in one, with galleries for biblical art, a National Center for Jewish Art, and a Museum of Holocaust Art. The site also highlights a sculpture garden and rotating exhibitions that range from illuminated manuscripts to contemporary works, underscoring the cultural value of the pieces targeted in the attack, as per the Museum of Biblical Art.
How the Law Treats Large-Scale Vandalism
Under Texas law, criminal mischief is graded by the value of the property damaged. Losses of $300,000 or more can be prosecuted as a first-degree felony carrying prison terms of five to 99 years or life, according to Justia. Texas Penal Code §28.03 also allows aggregation of damage across multiple items in a single scheme, a factor prosecutors can consider when deciding how to charge the case.
Not the First Time Local Museums Were Targeted
Dallas has seen high-profile museum vandalism before. In 2022, a man broke into the city-owned Dallas Museum of Art and smashed several ancient artifacts, triggering felony charges and lengthy conservation work, as per the Dallas Morning News…