WEST LAKELAND TOWNSHIP, Minn. (CBS) ― For an east metro family, Elvis is gone but not forgotten. A man who set a $15,000 painting of Elvis at the bottom of his driveway to attract attention for a business meeting had it stolen last week, Washington County authorities said.

The painting was stolen from a driveway on in West Lakeland Township sometime between 8:30 and 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

"My husband's kind-of known as an Elvis fan," said Heather Kittelsen, the wife of the owner of the painting.

That's why John and Heather Kittelsen thought a favourite Elvis painting would be an eye catching marker to welcome guests to a business meeting at their home. It was displayed at the entrance to their driveway on Jan. 30.

"He's devastated more for the sentimental value than the monetary value. He was a very close friend," said Heather Kittelsen.

The painting was by Peter Bue, who also uses the name "Fucci". John Kittelsen had known the artist Fucci for years. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 2005.

Fucci's paintings and murals of pop culture icons are all over the Twin Cities, several of them in Uptown. The Kittelsens hope their loss will help call attention to an artist lost to the world much too soon.

"The best thing, selfishly, would be get the painting back, but the best thing all in all is that if we're going to get the attention for losing something that's valuable to us, perhaps people will start to purchase and look at Fucci's artwork with a new eye," said Kittelsen.

In retrospect, the Kittelsens think they were a bit too trusting to display the valuable painting on their driveway.

Posted:  6th. February 2008