[MSN] Four people have been arrested by police investigating the theft of five LS Lowry paintings worth more than £1m in Greater Manchester.

[Museum Security Network Mailing list]

  Four arrested over Lowry thefts
Monday, 5 November 2007, 14:56 GMT

*Four people have been arrested by police investigating the theft of 
five LS Lowry paintings worth more than £1m in Greater Manchester. *

Officers raided several addresses in Tameside after receiving 
information from the public.

A 31-year-old man from Hyde, along with three men from Denton, aged 36, 
22 and 24, were arrested on suspicion of robbery, police said.

The paintings were stolen from a house in Cheadle Hulme in May.

Art collector Ivan Aird was tied up and his wife and two-year-old 
daughter threatened during the robbery at their home.

Five artworks were taken, together with Lowry's palette and brushes.

* So unique *

The most valuable works are the Viaduct, at about £700,000 and The 
Tanker Entering The Tyne, which is worth between £500,000 and £600,000.

The others are pencil sketches - The Bridge at Ringley and The Street 
Market.

The value of the palette and paintbrushes is not known, because they are 
said to be so unique.

Det Con Chris Barnes said: "We have had a number of people come forward, 
both as a result of the media appeals and the recent Crimewatch appeal.

"A £70,000 reward remains available to anyone who provides information 
leading to the recovery and return of these paintings."

The raids were carried out in Audenshaw, Denton, Houghton Green, Hyde 
and Gorton.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/