[MSN] Jail for thief who stole piece of Britain's are heritage

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Jail for thief who stole piece of Britain's are heritage
By Echo Reporter
Comment
AN "idiotic" art thief from Southampton who stole a valuable treasure from a
Hampshire art gallery was caught out when he tried to get a valuation from a
world expert in ceramics.

Jason Cochlin was part of a gang which stole a unique piece of 17th century
earthenware from the gallery back in 2002.

The porcelain figurine of Ignis - the personification of fire - described as
a national treasure worth up to £160,000, was among a dozen items taken from
the Allen Gallery in Alton.

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But after several years of lying low, Cochlin, 32, of Tankerville Road,
Woolston, stupidly decided to contact a world expert on English ceramics,
Jonathan Horne, in London, for a valuation.

Mr Horne immediately knew the unsaleable treasure was stolen, contacted the
museum and they called the police.

Cochlin, who had previous convictions for dishonesty, denied he had stolen
it with the gang, thought to number at least three others, but his
fingerprints were found by police at the gallery.

Cochlin, who has not named his fellow thieves, was found guilty of
conspiracy to steal the piece and 11 others at Winchester Crown Court. He
was jailed for 12 months.

He was caught when he tried to get a valuation from an expert in London. 
 
 
The tin-glazed figure made in 1679 and worth up to £160,000, was described
as being among the top 20 pieces of English ceramics when it was sold to the
Hampshire Museums Service in 1987.

The other pieces stolen were worth £13,000.

The court heard that Cochlin laid low for several years after the theft
before he was "idiotic" enough to contact Mr Horne.

In mitigation, Cochlin's barrister Robert Pawson said he had been forced to
take part in the conspiracy to steal the figures because he owed a debt to
someone.

Mr Pawson explained that Cochlin had used a loan of £20,000 to buy Ignis
back from the criminal who had it, and told the court the married father of
three could not name him otherwise he would be shot.

"Mr Cochlin was idiotic enough to write to a world expert on English
earthenware, Jonathan Horne, giving the insignia of the figure and asking
for a valuation," Mr Pawson said.

"He was used as a patsy by the more sophisticated criminal enterprise who
are hardened criminals," he added.

After his conviction, Cochlin handed the undamaged figure - described in
court as a "piece of national heritage" - back to police in a shoebox and
wrapped in towels.

It is now undergoing minor conservation work.

Sentencing Cochlin at Winchester Crown Court, Judge John Dixon said he would
have been jailed for four years if the figure had not been returned.

He called the theft an "audacious conspiracy" that had "plundered the
national heritage".

Mr Horne said after the case that he knew immediately when Cochlin had
phoned him what the figure was.

"It was easily recognisable from his description even though it was wrong
but I knew what it was from the date," he explained.

The figure was made in Southwick, London in 1679 as a special one-off
commission for a wealthy client interested in Alchemy and Science.

12:01pm Monday 18th June 2007

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/