In a bizarre turn of events a Lyft driver reportedly took off with a 17th-century painting during an art festival in Miami. The painting was by Spanish Baroque painter Bartolome Esteban Murillo and is estimated to be worth between $500,000 and $1 million.

Salomon was curating a booth for gallerist Dimitry Shchukin at the art festival in Miami. He was overworked and exhausted from setting up the booth and called a Lyft (a popular cab service in the USA) to take him and his wife Gigi to their hotel. He brought the 14-by-17-inch Murillo painting with him, wrapped in silver bubble wrap. The interested buyer, who wanted to obtain an authentication from a Spanish expert, was scheduled to collect the piece at the hotel.

The Lyft driver opened the boot of the car for Salomon to place the painting. After which he and his wife sat in the car. Upon reaching the hotel, the driver accelerated away before Salomon could retrieve the artwork.

Salomon said he tried to follow up with the cab service company,” Immediately, I followed up with Lyft. We were desperately calling this number that was supposedly the number of the driver but no answer. For 24 hours, we didn’t hear anything!”

The gallery has filed a police complaint and has also gotten in touch with the FBI. Salomon said. “We also have hired a lawyer, who has already contacted a private detective.” He mentioned there has been no help or follow-up the Lyft’s end. Frustrated Salomon has threatened to take legal action against the driver and the cab service company.

It has been over a week since the incident and the gallerists have not heard anything further about recovering the work, estimated to be worth between $500,000 and $1 million.