200-year-old 'national treasure' stolen from storage unit as police hunt for missing portrait of George Washington

A portrait of George Washington dating back more than 200 years has been stolen from a storage unit in Colorado and police, along with the FBI, are hunting for the painting as well as the thieves who took it.

Authorities were first alerted to, what they call, the missing "national treasure" late last month on Jan. 22 when the Englewood Police Department received a call regarding the theft of a historical art piece from a storage facility in the 3300 block of South Santa Fe Drive in Englewood, Colorado, regarding a theft that possibly took place almost two weeks prior on Jan. 10, according to a statement from the Englewood Police Department detailing the theft.

“The painting is of our first president, George Washington, and was created in the early 1800s,” authorities said. “The approximate size of the piece is 24 inches by 30 inches, measured in a gold-colored frame. The value is undisclosed and hard to estimate due to its historical significance.”

Police are currently unsure whether the thieves targeted the painting or if they knew it was in the storage unit.

The Englewood Police Department, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Denver Office, is asking for the public’s assistance in locating the painting and for any information regarding the theft.

Additionally, Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for tips and tipsters can remain anonymous through that program.

The investigation into the missing portrait is currently ongoing.