Lowry theft suspect being led away !!
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.
Art Hostage comments:
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.
Art Hostage comments:
A Pyrrhic victory and we still have the stolen Lowry artworks outstanding.
Police could, and should have devoted more resources to this case from the get go.
Then, subsequent victims would not have been robbed.
Still, better late than never, or are these arrests just window dressing ??
It is Police who have jumped the gun for quick headlines, rather than wait and recover the stolen artworks before arresting these men.
Police already knew the identies of these men, but public pressure has allowed the Lowry paintings to remain outstanding, or have they been recovered already ??
Right, who is going to be the first to become a "Sewer Rat" ??
The offer of a reduced sentence is the lure to get one or more of these accused men to reveal the whereabouts of the stolen Lowry paintings.
To the current handler of the stolen Lowry paintings, before Police storm your house/work/shop and recover the paintings, hand them back by placing them in a certain place and then telephoning the police anonymously.
If you get caught in possession of the stolen Lowry's some-time soon, don't say you weren't warned !!
The Lowry's are a millstone around your neck and will disrupt any other business dealings.
Will you lose money, of course, but better lose money on the Lowry's than lose the whole lot.
Oh, to be continued..............
Update...............
Expect some good news from Yorkshire Police/London Met Police about the spate of art thefts this summer.
I cannot say too much, but hopefully the Newby table and Doncaster silver cups will be recovered before Yorkshire Police arrest the gangs they are watching !!
Not forgetting the De Morgan, tick tock, etc which the current handlers are contemplating handing back !!
Guys, get rid of these stolen artworks before you get arrested, placed, then fetch and collect by Police.
The clock is ticking and before long, Yorkshire Police and the London Met Police will be told to
"Round them up, and Collar the lot" to quote Churchill.
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