Stolen Art Watch, Firle Place Robber At It Again, Michael Hurley Gang ??

Firle Place Raider
Antiques shop raid suspect caught on CCTV

AN image has been released of a bearded man police want to speak to in connection with an antiques shop burglary in which thousands of pounds worth of items were stolen.

They included valuable oil paintings and pieces of furniture, and were taken at around 7.40pm on Sunday, June 13 when two men broke into Antique Elegance in Dorking’s West Street.

It was the latest in a series of raids at antiques stores in the road, and traders have voiced their frustration about the thieves avoiding detection on CCTV systems.

But police have a picture of one man loading a table into the back of a van during last week’s incident, and they are hopeful someone will be able to help identify him.

The flat above Antique Elegance was broken into and attempts were then made to enter the shop using a pickaxe and spade. When this failed, the front window was smashed.

A member of public spotted the men and they then jumped into a dirty white van and drove off.

The vehicle was described as a Mercedes Sprinter van with a distinctive near-side sliding door. It was dark coloured and had some writing on the near-side rear panel.

Police described the first suspect as a white man in his mid-50s who was 6ft 3in tall and had short, scruffy light grey hair and a grey beard.

He was wearing a navy blue jacket with a red strip on the collar and light or green coloured trousers, as well as a black baseball cap with a distinctive piping round the edge. The man spoke with a southern accent.

The second man was white and in his mid to late 50s, 5ft 7in tall, of medium build and with scruffy white hair. He was wearing neutral coloured clothes, a cloth cap and tan coloured gloves.

Detective Constable Dion O’Shea said: "The image clearly shows the first suspect loading a small table into the back of the van and you can see the stolen paintings which are already loaded into the van.

“We know the van, a white Mercedes Sprinter with false number plates, was driven off in the direction of the High Street and then along Dene Street, but after that we have no further sightings.

“Can you help? Do you remember seeing these men and the van in the Dorking area on Sunday evening?”

The crime followed a dawn raid at the nearby Surrey Hills Antiques Centre on June 7, and two break-ins at Talbot House Antiques Centre earlier this year.

Shopkeepers from West Street, who have spoken of their frustration at being persistently targeted by thieves, are to meet with police and Mole Valley MP Sir Paul Beresford on July 8 to discuss the issue.

Art Hostage Comments;

Top photo is the one released today by Police of the man who robbed the Butchers Antiques shop in Dorking called Antique Elegance.

Middle and bottom photo's are images of the man who robbed Firle Place last year.

Notice the similarities, with beard top, minus beard in the two below ??

The Firle Place images have never been revealed before, but as usual Art Hostage is ahead of the curve.

Want more images, all in good time.

As said before, please just call Sussex Police anonymously with the location of the Firle Place porcelain so that raid can be put to bed.

O'h and not to forget it was the same guys who attempted to raid Patrick Moorheads warehouse in Church Street Brighton, failed and tried to torch the place, and also his step brother Lennox Cato fell victim to these guys.

As Art Hostage stated before:

Dick Ellis has named Michael Hurley as the chief suspect in this recent raid and members of his gang for previous raids, including some of the Stately home raids over the last two years, Firle Place, and Glynde Place being the two most high profile raids.

Mark Dalrymple went further, Michael Hurley is the main focus of attention and efforts have been made for Police to put Michael Hurley and his associates under 24/7 surveillance.


Dick Ellis and Mark Dalrymple have even tried to use Tim Corfield the Art dealer to infiltrate the Michael Hurley syndicate with no luck. Seems Nice but Dim Tim Corfield failed and was exposed straight away.

However Police are said to be confident they will make a breakthrough soon according to Dick Ellis and Mark Dalrymple.

Plans to slip an undercover Police officer from S.O.C.A. into the Michael Hurley Gang, as a buyer of stolen art and antiques, have so far failed to bear fruit, but efforts continue.

However, as usual Police are reluctant to put the Michael Hurley Gang under 24/7 surveillance, although pressure is coming from Political circles as well as the Historic Houses Association and Belted Earls.

Update:
Dick Ellis has just said:

"If I had any hair, I would be pulling it out"

Mark Dalrymple followed suit:

"If I go down, I'll take everyone with me"

Stolen Art Watch, Art Loss Register, Julian Radcliffe in UAE, Abu Dhabi !!

Art Loss Register Guru Julian Radcliffe in the UAE, Sharjah Sunset !!!

Tell you more later, "I like it alot", to quote Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_X8ZZwcs4k

Stolen Art Watch, Caravaggio Recovered, Surpised, Only If You Don't Read Art Hostage !!!

Stolen '$100 million' Caravaggio recovered by police

German police have recovered a 400-year-old painting attributed to Italian master Caravaggio worth tens of millions of pounds stolen two years ago from a museum in Ukraine.

In a joint operation on Friday involving German and Ukrainian authorities, police arrested four suspected members of an international band of art thieves as they attempted to sell the stolen painting in Berlin.

Police in Ukraine also arrested 20 further suspects thought involved with the gang.

Experts in Germany have authenticated the masterpiece The Taking of Christ, painted around 1602, as the work stolen from a museum in the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa in July 2008.

"The Ukrainian authorities have valued the painting in the tens of millions," the German police statement said.

Some experts cited have said the painting could fetch up to $100 million (£66 million) on the black market.

The source of the work, often also known as the Judas Kiss, has been in doubt in the past.

It was at one time thought to be a copy of a painting on display at the National Gallery in Dublin. But in 1950, a Moscow art expert declared that the painting in Odessa was in fact the work of Caravaggio.

The painting had been bought by a Russian ambassador to France and then given to Prince Vladimir Alexandrovich at the end of the 19th century.

After the Russian Revolution, the painting was given to an art school in Odessa and then the museum.

Art Hostage Comments:

Art Hostage slipped this into a post last Tuesday:

Update:

Something breathtaking is cooking in the Stolen art arena, will leave all open-mouthed, quote is "Brace yourself"
(Tuesday June 22nd 2010, 10.00am GMT)

Then followed up on Wednesday with this:

There is something very big cooking and about to come to the boil within the art related crime arena.

Will the boil be lanced, or will we be left open-mouthed ???

More to follow...................

So, You wait ages for a bus, then three come along at the same time.

Same with art related crime news, wait a while then a flood of news.

Art Hostage cannot go into detail but further breaking news will emerge very soon.

Paris, UK and "St elsewhere" will feature very big in the art related crime arena very shortly, this week even.

The stolen art merry-go-round is cranking up, with further recoveries and thefts very much on the agenda.

Monkey Business, a clue !!!

Sorry to tease, but it will be worth the short wait !!!!

Stolen Art Watch, Dick Ellis claims: Michael Hurley Gang Responsible for These Raids and the Stately Homes Raids !!

Pickaxe raid nets £20,000 worth of antiques
http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/news/Pickaxe-raid-nets-163-20-000-worth-antiques/article-2338751-detail/article.html

RAIDERS drove off with £20,000 worth of stolen items in the fourth major theft in Dorking's antiques hub this year.

Six prized paintings and a Georgian desk were taken from Antique Elegance in West Street at 7.45pm on June 13.

Burglars used a pickaxe to smash their way through the shop window after blocking the premises from view with a white van.

Owners Roger and Jenny Butcher said the thieves had tried to smash their way through the shop ceiling from an upstairs flat being renovated.

Roger Butcher of Antique Elegance said: "It was quite an audacious raid because they pulled up in a van and blocked the whole window out. They went in upstairs first of all to try and come through the ceiling.

"We got mobile phone pictures of them. They looked like two old lags in their 50s. They broke in upstairs and tried to pull the floorboards up and come through.

"They were spotted on the roof by neighbours.

"They did not want to jemmy the door because it is alarmed, so they smashed the window instead with a pickaxe."

He added: "It makes me sick. They have taken stuff that is mine, no one else's."

Jenny Butcher said: "Luckily, a neighbour disturbed them and took photos of them and they skedaddled. I think they were there to take the whole lot.

"All these paintings are known artists and some of them were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1848."

One witness, who did not wish to be named, said: "I heard a lot of glass being smashed and I looked out the window and saw someone taking property out of the shop."

The witness added: "Everybody puts the police down at the moment but they literally took two minutes to arrive on the scene."

The raid was the fourth major burglary at an antique store in Dorking this year. Silverware and several thousand pounds' worth of antiques were stolen in January and March from Talbot House Antique Centre. Earlier this month, £15,000 worth of jewellery was taken from Surrey Hills Antique Centre.

Detectives are seeking further photographic evidence that could lead them to the culprits of the most recent raid. A police spokeswoman said: "A white van, which was using false plates, was caught on CCTV in the area at the time of the offence and inquiries are on-going to establish where the vehicle went when it left the scene."

Art Hostage Comments:

Dick Ellis has named Michael Hurley as the chief suspect in this recent raid and members of his gang for previous raids, including some of the Stately home raids over the last two years, Firle Place, and Glynde Place being the two most high profile raids.

Mark Dalrymple went further, Michael Hurley is the main focus of attention and efforts have been made for Police to put Michael Hurley and his associates under 24/7 surveillance.

Dick Ellis and Mark Dalrymple have even tried to use Tim Corfield the Art dealer to infiltrate the Michael Hurley syndicate with no luck. Seems Nice but Dim Tim Corfield failed and was exposed straight away.

However Police are said to be confident they will make a breakthrough soon according to Dick Ellis and Mark Dalrymple.


Plans to slip an undercover Police officer from S.O.C.A. into the Michael Hurley Gang, as a buyer of stolen art and antiques, have so far failed to bear fruit, but efforts continue.Dick Ellis and Mark Dalrymple revealed today.

However, as usual Police are reluctant to put the Michael Hurley Gang under 24/7 surveillance, although pressure is coming from Political circles as well as the Historic Houses Association and Belted Earls.

Update:
Dick Ellis has just said:

"If I had any hair, I would be pulling it out"

Mark Dalrymple followed suit:

"If I go down, I'll take everybody with me"

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, "Tax is for the Little People"

Tax Does Not have To Be Taxing, So, Pay Your Taxes Duke of Buccleuch

A Little Tax Conundrum

When the painting was stolen in August 2003 the 9th Duke of Buccleuch owned it. Only 25% of the painting was insured hence the payout of £3.8 from Hiscox Limited There was no buy back clause in the insurance policy however Mark Dalrymple negotiated as the loss adjuster and a buyback clause was retrospectively inserted.

75% of the value of the painting was transferred to the Buccleuch Heritage Trust under the chairmanship of The Earl of Dalkeith now the 10^th Duke of Buccleuch

On the death of the 9^th Duke of Buccleuch the title to the painting passed by Will to the 10^th Duke of Buccleuch.

So the painting moves full circle from the 9^th Duke to the 10^th Duke in effect using the tax vehicle of the charitable trust of the Buccleuch family.

Whilst the painting was in the care of Dumfries and Galloway Police the state covered the insurance liability and the insurance valuation for the purposes of displaying the painting in the National Gallery of Scotland was £20m, which again was paid by the Crown.

HMRC need to consider when the painting was transferred into the Buccleuch charitable trust by the 9^th Duke of Buccleuch and the value of the painting at that date. If this was done after September 2000 then the settlement was not made within seven years of death and inheritance tax would be paid as if the settlement had not taken place.

Only Colin Henderson from Anderson Strathern and HMRC know whether in the age of austerity and we are all in this together the taxation treatment has been correct

In the Da Vinci trial it emerged that Hiscox insurance cover was for £15m and they paid out £3.8m. As the Buccleuch trust owner 75% of the painting this would value the painting at £60m.

When post the recovery the 10^th Duke of Buccleuch exercised the buy back clause in respect of his £25% an interesting question arises as to whether capital gains tax comes into play and if it did that would be on the current value of the painting.

On the 3 October 2007 John Craig was advised “the lady is coming home” it looks like it will not be before the tourist season for Drumlanrig Castle in 2010 that the Buccleuch family trust will finally sanction “the lady coming home”

Mark Dalrymple can run, but he cannot hide, lost in France, Paris anyone !!!!!!!!

Stolen Art Watch, Gardner Art Heist, Paris Art Theft, Radio and Predictions !!!

Art Hostage/Turbo Paul on the radio:

http://www.nhpr.org/node/32992

There is something very big cooking and about to come to the boil within the art related crime arena.

Will the boil be lanced, or will we be left open-mouthed ???

More to follow...................

Stolen Art Watch, Firle Place Sevres Porcelain Theft, Volcanic Ash, What Really Happened !!

Sussex art raid "part of nationwide spree"

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/8213594.Sussex_art_raid__part_of_nationwide_spree_/

An expert investigator believes a £1 million art heist at a Sussex stately home was part of a nationwide series carried out by the same gang.

Dick Ellis, former head of the Scotland Yard art and antiques unit, has included the raid at Firle Place in July last year in a list of major crimes he believes were committed by the same criminals.

Firle Place, the home of millionaire landowner Viscount Gage, was targeted on July 19 last year.

Burglars stole 20 pieces including rare Sevres porcelain.

Police said at the time the pieces were worth £1m.

Mr Ellis estimated their value at £500,000, according a piece in The Art Newspaper.

Mr Ellis was reported as saying three gangs are responsible for up to 36 crimes, including 21 burglaries.

He said the response of police forces is weakened if crimes take place in different areas of the country.

Paul Hendry, author of crime blog Art Hostage, has criticised Sussex Police’s response to the burglary.

He claims police had been told Firle Place was the target of a previous, cancelled burglary attempt in January last year, but failed to act on the information.

When contacted by The Argus earlier this year Sussex Police refused to comment publicly.

A spokesman said: “We are not able to discuss whether or not specific prior intelligence has been received about any specific offence.”

Mr Hendry said the art underworld refers to the stolen porcelain as “volcanic Ash” because it is “so hot it is radioactive”.

He is publicly calling on both police and the Firle Place burglars to arrange for the safe return of the porcelain.

He said: “I’m the only man in Europe who wants the volcanic Ash to come back.

“The issue is to receive the Firle Place porcelain undamaged.

“The best way to achieve that is for an anonymous phonecall to Sussex Police for a location to be given where the police can attend and recover the porcelain intact and return it to its rightful home.”

Anyone with information should phone Sussex Police on 08456070999.

Art Hostage Comments:

Please see backstory to this case linked below:

http://arthostage.blogspot.com/2010/05/stolen-art-watch-dick-ellis-banging.html

http://arthostage.blogspot.com/2010/06/stolen-art-watch-firle-place-raid-da.html

Watch todays Crimwatch Roadshow about Firle Place raid:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/10327604.stm

So, having watched today's Crimewatch Roadshow and the performance of Tricky Dick Ellis the message is clear.

Please contact Sussex Police or the crimewatch roadshow programme anonymously with a location where the Firle Place porcelain can be recovered.

Make sure you give clear details of where, so Police can attend quickly and safely to recover these unique artworks for the benefit of the public, yes that's right, its the public who loose out here.

Viscount Gage is only the custodian of these unique items of porcelain therefore he or his family have no financial gain other than the £1 million insurance payout which serves no purpose as the items cannot be replaced.

Whatever the ordinary game of Cat and Mouse played by art thieves, stolen art handlers and others, against Police, Insurance companies, collectors, The Aristocracy or legitimate dealers, this is a case of the stolen porcelain needs to go back, right here right now.

Please make the call to any of the numbers below and lets see this story have a happy ending.

No need to give any names, no need for arrests, just a simple call to locate the Firle Place Porcelain.

It has been done before, without any arrests, so make the annonomous call.

Crimewatch Roadshow:
08000 468 999 or website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/crimewatchroadshow/

Sussex Police: o845-6070999

Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111 or website: http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/

As stated in the article on Monday in the Argus, the Underworld is referring to the Firle place Porcelain as "Volcanic Ash"

The honest desire of Art Hostage is to see the "Volcanic Ash" come back.

That desire is overwhelming, truly offering an Olive branch, extended with the deepest sincerity.

Forget Roll Back, or even Cash Back, all I want is Ash Back

However big the task........... together it can be surpassed.......... in a distinctive fashion, with Merit !!!!

Update:
Something breathtaking is cooking in the Stolen art arena, will leave all open-mouthed, quote is "Brace yourself"
(Tuesday June 22nd 2010, 10.00am GMT)

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, DNA Used as Bait, Cezanne, Bulmer Paintings in Play !!!

Police reveal DNA clue in theft of £50m Leonardo da Vinci and second art break-in

Jun 14 2010 By Paul O'Hare

POLICE probing a £50million Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece heist have a DNA clue to one of the suspects.

Police say it matches a sample recovered from a break-in bid at Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow two years earlier.

And there could be links to the theft of a £3million Cezanne from an Oxford art gallery at the millennium.

Police hope the breakthrough will lead them to the gang behind the theft of the Madonna Of The Yarnwinder from the Duke of Buccleuch's Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire in 2003.

A police source said: "This is a really positive development. We are working throughout Europe to try to identify the DNA profile.

"It is clear the gang involved are serious organised criminals and that they targeted both Kelvingrove and Drumlanrig.

"Undoubtedly they have been involved in other art thefts.

During the heist at Drumlanrig, one of the two robbers, who was carrying an axe, threatened to kill a tour guide.

The pair escaped with two other men in a car which was later found abandoned.

The brazen theft was ranked as one of the FBI's top 10 art crimes until the painting was recovered in a Glasgow lawyer's office in October 2007.

In April, five men walked free after being cleared of attempting to extort £4.25million from the Duke of Buccleuch.

And last month, the case against three men for conspiring to extort £5million for the return of the painting was dropped.

After the verdict in the first trial, police issued CCTV images of two men at Drumlanrig Castle a week before the raid.

Police are working with Interpol and Europol in a bid to crack the case

Art Hostage Comments:

First of all, Police have had the DNA from day one as Art Hostage reported years ago.

If Police could match the DNA they would have done so years ago and ask yourself why Police have waited until now to announce this so-called news.

Police already know the identity of the DNA match, they have known the identity for years, but it is not enough DNA to present in evidence, so don't kid yourself.

Mark Dalrymple and Dick Ellis are playing games, using Police as their gofers, to try and smoke out the Cezanne, Bulmer paintings etc.

This is from their mouths, Mark Dalrymple and Dick Ellis, as are the revelations contained in this Art Hostage post. Playing all sides against each-other is the preferred method of Mark Dalrymple and Dick Ellis.

This is all part of a PR campaign to try and counter the unlawful actions of Mark Dalrymple and Police during the recovery of the Da Vinci Madonna from lawyers in October 2007.

According to Mark Dalrymple and Dick Ellis, Police also want to get any kind of glimpse of the Cezanne, by way of an undercover Police officer from S.O.C.A. or someone foreign, with an accent, from Interpol, Europol to add credibility.

Second, the Cezanne from Oxford may be in play and Art Hostage has a warning from Mark Dalrymple and Dick Ellis to pass onto readers of Art Hostage.

"As soon as the Cezanne or any other stolen artwork sees the light of day, Police will swoop."

"Anyone purporting to represent the Ashmolean Museum Oxford, where the Cezanne was stolen from or be a rich collector wanting stolen art, could be, maybe, an undercover Police officer from S.O.C.A. Interpol or Europol."

"So, anyone getting themselves arrested in possession off the Cezanne etc, has only themselves to blame."

Art Hostage says: "Make no mistake, if there is a genuine desire to return any stolen art it must be done by way of a location given to Police anonymously, then Police go and collect it, thereby, no arrests at the scene of the recovery are possible."

However, if proof of life has been given, then once the stolen art is recovered, Police will try to make arrests post recovery.

Charlie Hill in Wales ????

Art Hostage pleads: "that all stolen art is given back by way of location reported to Police anonymously, who can then attend the given location and recover all stolen art and antiques, so they can be returned to their rightful owners intact."

More to follow..............

Stolen Art Watch, Firle Place Raid, Da Vinci Madonna, Art Hostage Exclusive, Breaking News

Art Hostage has exclusive breaking news on the Firle Place raid and an update on the Da Vinci Madonna Tsunami that is about to break.

First, a little taster of the Da Vinci Madonna ongoing saga:

Post Da Vinci Madonna Trial Acquittals.

The Da Vinci prosecution is currently the subject of formal complaints lodged with

1 Dumfries and Galloway Police

2 Scottish Police Complaints Commissioner

3 S.O.C.A South East Division

4 Independent Police Complaints Commission

The matter has been drawn to the attention of The Home Secretary and The Scottish Minister for Justice

Hiscox have declined to pay a reward because the police refuse to grant approval. A somewhat perverse position bearing in mind the known background to this case.

Mark Dalrymple is the subject of formal complaint to the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjustor's and he also faces being sued for professional negligence

The process of enquiry is now underway and a second independent witness has verified that S.O.C.A had knowledge of Crown Private Investigation’s months before they became involved n the Da Vinci Madonna recovery.

Either S.O.C.A. or Dumfries and Galloway police buried the evidence of the Gatwick Airport Hilton meeting in January 2007. That is the kindest interpretation. If they disclosed the evidence to the Procurator Fiscal and the law officers hid the information then the legal ramifications will echo through the whole Scottish judicial system.

I now understand why Marshall Ronald called for an enquiry into the Da Vinci case outside the Court

I hope you agree that trust in our legal system is of paramount importance to all who seek justice before the law and that those, such as in this case, who seek to defeat an individual’s right to justice should be dealt with severely.

Da Vinci Madonna latest:
http://www.osadvertiser.co.uk/news/ormskirk-news/2010/06/10/west-lancs-private-eyes-speak-on-da-vinci-theft-mix-up-80904-26619054/

Here:
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2010/06/10/west-lancashire-private-eyes-wrongly-accused-of-holding-a-da-vinci-masterpiece-call-for-a-reward-92534-26624410/

And here:
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2010/06/10/private-investigators-admit-they-were-taken-in-by-police-operation-over-missing-da-vinci-painting-92534-26624406/

In a follow up to the Dick Ellis Stately Home Raids Report.

Art Hostage today June 8th 2010 received a call from Dick Ellis who was worried sick and pleaded with Art Hostage to take down the post revealing all about the Firle Place raid of July 2009.

Back-story: http://arthostage.blogspot.com/2010/05/stolen-art-watch-dick-ellis-banging.html

The reason Dick Ellis gave is because both the Chief Constable of Sussex Police Martin Richards and Surrey Police Chief Constable Mark Rowley have been engaged by Dick Ellis and they are about to acknowledge the serious failings of both Sussex Police, Martin Richards and Surrey Police Mark Crowley with respect to the Firle Place raid in July 2009. Dick Ellis has set the trap for Martin Richards and Mark Rowley.

The significance of this is that the acknowledgement by Sussex Police and Surrey Police of their failings with regards preventing the Firle Place raid from happening, (which they could and should have done), will open the door to the Ecclesiastical Insurance company to reclaim their insurance payout to The Viscount Gage family trust of £1million, from both Sussex Police and Surrey Police, using the threat of a High Court Lawsuit.

So, the Council Tax paying people of Surrey and Sussex are on the hook for £1 million of their Council taxes to pay for the failings of their respective Police Forces.

Added to that, it does give the perception of another Bail-out for "Fat Cats" at the expense of the public.

Of course then, once Sussex Police and Surrey Police have paid out £500,000 each to the Ecclesiacal Insurance Company Dick Ellis will receive the plaudit's from the Art insurance industry and gain more feathers in his cap, not forgetting his fat fee, hidden as payment for his report prepared and reported in the Times of London, Art Newspaper and elsewhere, if you know what I mean !!!

Unfortunately, the person who gave the intelligence about the Firle Place being a target, in good faith, will be told by Dick Ellis in no uncertain terms:

"Come on, move along now, nothing more to see here"

Furthermore, plans are afoot and the Firle Place haul is reputed to be in play according to Dick Ellis, and the joint International efforts are being made by Sussex Police, Surrey Police and a third Law Enforcement agency...... OH alright, it those pesky guys at the Serious Organised Crime Agency S.O.C.A. again. Interpol are in the mix but only as a liaison body.

If by chance the Firle Place haul is recovered, then of course this whole affair can be covered up until the next avoidable Art theft.

The tone of the phone calls from Dick Ellis have got rather heated and Dick Ellis is making coded threats against Art Hostage that Police will set up Art Hostage, raid the Art Hostage home unlawfully, on a fishing expedition, and fabricate evidence to silence Art Hostage.

This would not be the first time Police have smashed their way into Art Hostages home, twice before they have come, both times not finding anything, there was never anything to find in the first place, no contraband, no stolen art, no nothing.

Twice before they traumatised Art Hostage's son. Twice before Art Hostage was not charged with any crime, they even confiscated my computers the first time, only to return them three weeks later, although one had the drive bearings broken.

The whole purpose is to intimidate Art Hostage because of the revelations of incompetence and failings of Police written about on the Art Hostage and Stolen Vermeer blogs.

There is an old C.I.A. saying "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action"

Art Hostage Lawyers have been informed and have all the relevant documents and will issue a lawsuit if Police smash their way into the Art Hostage home again, and Art Hostage can tell Sussex Police Chief Constable Martin Richards, here and now, there are no stolen art or antiques, contraband or anything illegal at all in the Art Hostage home, Nada, zero, so another unlawful armed raid by Sussex Police will definitely result in legal proceedings against Sussex Police, who by the way will be shortly issued with a lawsuit for Malicious prosecution.
Martin it's no good venting your anger at Art Hostage, look closer to home to see who is going to cost your Police Force £500,000, who leaked all the information, and furthermore, who has leaked the ongoing Police operation into the Firle Place raid. Don't shoot the messenger !!!!

Back To Firle Place Business

Right, between now and, 16th June 2010 there is to be a featured reconstruction of the Firle Place raid on the BBC Crimewatch Roadshow programme broadcast at 09.15am GMT. Dick Ellis was down at Firle Place last week filming.

Art Hostage is going to resolve this case here and now with clear advice.

First of all, Dick Ellis was told by Art Hostage to make a personal plea, to those who hold the Firle Place Porcelain, to call the BBC Crimewatch show anonymously and just give a location where Police will attend and recover the Firle Place Haul.

No Set ups, no Stings, just please give a location and make sure you are not in the same postcode, let alone the same room, even with Lawyers, remember the Da Vinci Madonna Lawyers, all got arrested.

Art Hostage declares here and now, when Police recover stolen art anyone within a 5 mile radius is arrested, got it, once and for all.

Anyone falling for the old Peek-a-Boo trick, "Just let us have a look to make sure its not broken" trick will be arrested, as soon as any Firle Place items see the light of day Police will swoop.

In the Da Vinci Madonna case an Undercover Policeman from S.O.C.A. called John Craig said he was representing the Duke of Buccleuch, when in reality he was an Undercover Policeman. So, it it not Rocket Science to realise that anyone purporting to represent Viscount Gage, or posing as a Rich Porcelain Collector could, maybe, be an Undercover Policeman trying to get a glimse of the Firle Place haul so Police can swoop and arrest everyone.

This is not new, just remember what happened in the Da Vinci Madonna case, as soon as the Da Vinci Madonna painting appeared in the Lawyers Office in Glasgow Police swooped and arrested everyone.

This is not Art Hostage undermining a Police Operation, it is a way to ensure the Firle Place Porcelain returns home un-damaged and safely, as soon as possible.

The best way of doing that is a location to be given anonymously on a pay as you go throw away cellphone, which is discarded after the call is made, either to the BBC Crimewatch programme, or to the local Police in whichever area the Firle Place porcelain is currently located.

Now, the translation of this advice can be done using good old Google translator.

Also, whoever you are, please just either contact your local Police in your country, Europe, Canadian Mounties in Canada, anonymously with a location where the Firle Place porcelain can be recovered by Police. If you try to hand the Firle Place porcelain back physically you will be arrested.

Now, all the pieces are in place and hopefully when the BBC Crimewatch Feature about the Firle Place raid is aired and Dick Ellis follows the Art Hostage plan and pleads for the location where the Firle Place Porcelain can be recovered, the call will come. Here's hoping !!!!

Update;
Now lets get this clear, the Porcelain from Firle Place is very delicate, not robust at all. If Police crash through the door with their big size twelve boots and there is a scuffle, the Firle Place porcelain will almost certainly be knocked to the floor smashing into a thousand pieces.

Just create this image in your mind of Armed storm trooper Police storming the room, where the Firle Place porcelain is all laid out on a table to show to whoever is the Undercover Police Officer.

Bang, crash wallop !!!!!

I can imagine it now, the phone call from Sussex Police Chief Constable Martin Richards to Viscount Gage,

"Your Grace, good news and bad news, first the good news, Sussex Police and Co have recovered all the Firle Place Porcelain in a daring raid"

Viscount Gage "Whats the bad news?"

Martin Richards: " Your Grace, are you good at Jigsaw's?"

Viscount Gage "What, you mean the Firle Place porcelain is in pieces ?"

Martin Richards: " Actually, 423, sorry 427 pieces, to be exact"

Stolen Art Watch, Art Hostage Unmasked, Unplugged, Uncontrollable and Unleashed

Art Hostage revealed as:
Turbo Paul Hendry M.A. B.A. (Hons) A.H.E.C.


Virginia Heffernan, your literary prowess is a sight for sore eyes.

Cheers Virginia. You scare me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/magazine/06FOB-medium-t.html

Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Art Crime Experts.

So, lets get busy !!!!