Minnesota Man Finally Charged For Stealing Dorothy’s Ruby Red Slippers

There’s no time like the present to serve a little justice. Even if it’s nearly 18 years in the making.

A Minnesota man named Terry Jon Martin has been charged with “theft of an object of cultural heritage” for stealing Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz back in 2005. A federal grand jury handed down the indictment on Tuesday.

According to court documents, the slippers were valued at least $100,000. However, a news release from the United Stated Attorney’s Office, District of North Dakota estimated their current value at $3.5 million.

The iconic footwear went missing from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota in August 2005, prosecutors say.

Although the items were recovered in 2018, there’s no word on why it took another five years to file charges against Martin. 

Criminal Genius courtesy