Stolen ‘Wizard of Oz’ ruby slippers will go on an international tour and then be auctioned

By JIM SALTER
Associated Press

A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” were returned to their owner, nearly 20 years after the iconic shoes were stolen from a museum in the late actor’s hometown. But “No place like home?” Not exactly. The memorabilia collector who owns the iconic footwear immediately turned them over to an auction company, which plans to take them on an international tour before offering them at auction in December. Memorabilia collector Michael Shaw loaned the slippers to the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. They were stolen in 2005 and recovered in 2018. One man pleaded guilty in October. An indictment made public Sunday showed that a second man is now facing charges.