Man Who Stole The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers Released

Man Who Stole The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers Released

Judy Garland’s ruby slippers she wore in the classic ‘The Wizard of Oz’ were stolen. The man who stole the priceless slippers pleaded guilty and is now not facing any prison time.

The Stolen Slippers Case

On Monday, Terry Jon Martin received a time sentence and one year of probation. The sentence was held at the U.S. District Court in Duluth, Minnesota. Martin pleaded guilty in October. He was ordered to pay roughly $23,000 to Minnesota’s Judy Garland Museum, where he stole the slippers from on Aug. 27, 2005.

Martin’s reason for committing the crime according to his defense attorney, Dane DeKrey, a former mob associate encouraged him to commit “one last score.” Martin, 76, was told the ruby slippers were made with real jewels. According to AP, the man discarded the slippers two days after the theft because he was informed the ‘rubies’ were made of glass.

Martin reportedly did not know the significance of the ruby slippers and had never seen The Wizard of Oz before the heist. The sentence was decided after his defense attorney and federal prosecutors both recommended that he receive time served. Martin is currently in hospice care and is not expected to live for more than six months.

Value of the Ruby Slippers

Dorothy’s screen-worn ruby slippers have been appraised to be worth at least $1 million, but now the FBI says the slippers market value can be around $3.5 million. The stolen slippers were one of four known authentic pairs of screen-used shoes Garland wore. The three other pairs of slippers used in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ are placed around the country. One pair is held at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a museum in Los Angeles. Another pair is at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington D.C and the final pair is owned by an anonymous private collector.

Dorothy’s ruby slippers are considered one of the most famous movie props in the history of cinema by film critics, with the Star Wars lightsaber next in line. What do you think about this story?