Island Art Gallery at Aloha Tower discovers one of its employees is running a scam.

Police say 59-year-old Francis Blackwell Junior had been working at the gallery for four years. They say he and his girlfriend were stealing and selling artwork on the side and pocketing the cash to pay off debts.

An inventory of the gallery turned up eight missing pieces of art valued at more than $50,000. Among them original oil paintings by chinese artist, Zhouling including her "blue hair wahine" and "beloved".

This painting, called "preparing the corn" by Tony also went missing as well as a sculpture by David Wirth, titled, Mahi.
The gallery's owner says Blackwell even told clients that he owned the gallery.

Last August, tipsters led police to Blackwell's whereabouts at a Kapolei home. They arrested him, but released him pending further investigation. Now, they say he's on the run.

A grand jury indicted Blackwell June 4th, for theft in the first degree, and police say he's no where to be found. Blackwell is wanted on a $100,000 warrant. Blackwell's described at six foot tall, weighing 230 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

He's known to hang out in the Waikiki area.

Helping police find him could put up to a thousand bucks in your pocket. Francis Blackwell Junior is our fugitive on the run, this Wanted Wednesday.

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