Stolen Ruby Slippers Worn in ‘Wizard of Oz’ Recovered

The Shoes Were Insured for $1 Million

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. – The ruby red slippers worn in the Wizard of Oz have been recovered.

The slippers were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids in 2005.

On Tuesday, they were unveiled in public for the first time in thirteen years.

Dorothy’s ruby red slippers are one of the most iconic pieces of Hollywood memorabilia.

We’ve learned the missing shoes recovered this summer are one of only four known remaining pairs from the 1939 film.

“Not only were these slippers stolen, but the memories of a lot of Americans were stolen back in 2005 and we hope today that we gave those memories back,” said Jill Sanborn, Special Agent in charge of the Minneapolis FBI division.

The FBI announced Tuesday the famous Wizard of Oz slippers were seized in a Minneapolis sting operation in July.

The recovery successfully completes the first part of a thirteen year investigation.

“Our police department followed up on each and every lead that we received over the years, everything from they’re nailed to a wall in a roadside diner in Missiouri, to they’re at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC, and we know that’s another pair, to I was with my boyfriend when he threw them into a water filled iron ore pit,” said Grand Rapids Police Chief Scott Johnson.

The case now includes allegations of an extortion plot against the slippers’ owners, an insurance company called the Markel Corporation.

The investigation has now been assigned to the North Dakota U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Art crime is common across the U.S. with more than eight thousand missing items on the FBI list.

“This type of cultural property is important to us as a society,” said Chris Myers, U.S. Attorney for North Dakota. “It reflects our culture, it holds our memories, it reflects our values.”

The Smithsonian Institute has proven the slippers’ authenticity and law enforcement now turns their attention to finding those responsible and bringing them to justice.

It’s something they can finally focus on after retrieving the priceless long-missing piece of Americana.

9:48 “They’re more than just a pair of shoes, the slippers, they’re an enduring symbol of the power of belief and I know I speak for everyone in our Grand Rapids community when I say that we’re very, very pleased that the public again has a potential opportunity to view this piece of Hollywood’s most treasured piece of our nation’s film history,” said Chief Johnson.

After Tuesday’s press conference, the red slippers will be moved back into evidence.

No word on whether they’ll eventually return to the Judy Garland Museum or if they’ll be housed elsewhere.

Information from the Associated Press.