Hopper Accuses Wife Of Stealing His Art

Cancer-stricken DENNIS HOPPER has accused his estranged wife of stealing valuable works of art from him while he was “extremely ill”.

The 73 year old filed for divorce from Victoria Duffy in January (10), citing irreconcilable differences. He subsequently won a court judgement which forced her to move out of his Venice, California residence, and a restraining order to make sure she stays away after a doctor claimed her presence was “hampering” the actor’s prostate cancer care.

The Easy Rider star’s legal team filed papers at Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday (23Mar10) as part of their ongoing divorce battle, and an affidavit from Hopper alleges Duffy removed some of his property while he was undergoing treatment.

Hopper claims missing pieces from his art collection include a portrait of him by Andy Warhol, and works by Robert Graham and British graffiti artist Banksy, believed to be worth more than $1.5 million (£1 million).

The statement demands Duffy return the “valuable works of art she literally stole from me,” adding, “(She) surreptitiously removed from my home very valuable personal property while I was extremely ill, refused to tell me where the property was when I asked her, and then left town.”

Duffy has refuted the allegations, telling New York Post gossip column Page Six, “I removed my own property. He is making a big deal about me removing things that are legally mine from the house. I have legal letters saying they belong to me.”