[MSN] UK. Gang escapes with £75k haul from art theft

[Museum Security Network Mailing list]

Gang escapes with £75k haul from art theft
Jul 3 2007
By Mark Mudie


BALACLAVA-CLAD burglars stole more than £75,000-worth of paintings from a Godstone mansion in a late-night raid.

Surrey Police has released pictures of the paintings, described as "distinctive", hoping that someone might have seen them and can help them trace the thieves.

Five men broke into a house in Leigh Place Lane, between 11pm on Wednesday, May 30 and 1am on Thursday, May 31 and snatched a number of paintings, all worth thousands of pounds.

Their haul included a pair of Thomas Hand paintings worth an estimated £26,000, a George White and a George Knapton picture each worth about £15,800, and a John Heins Senior worth £14,000.

Most of the stolen goods were oil on canvas paintings, including Sir Godfrey Kneller's Portrait of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough valued at £4,800, John Heins Senior's Portrait of Lydia Harvey, George Knapton's Portrait of a Boy Archer and Thomas Hand's Gypsy family Outside a Barn and Peasants and a Pig.


The burglars also got away with a number of original paintings in the raid, including Shooting Party by George White.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Claire Langley said the paintings were "very distinctive" and would be recognisable to anyone who had seen them.

She said: "These are very distinctive items. They are easily recognisable so someone may remember seeing them for sale either in a shop, a car boot sale or perhaps on the Internet.

"Surrey Police will work to specifically target burglars and handlers of stolen goods.

"I am appealing to members of the art community to contact me,or Crimestoppers in confidence,if you have any information regarding the whereabouts of these valuable paintings."

Anyone with information should contact DC Langley at Caterham CID on 0845 125 2222, or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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