Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, Crown Rests, Well Nearly !!

Detective details Leonardo da Vinci effort

The officer leading a stolen da Vinci investigation has told a trial about undercover efforts to recover it.

The team working on the Madonna of the Yarnwinder case had shrunk to just two until a solicitor claimed he could "repatriate" it, a court has heard.

Det Insp Gary Coupland said he approved an undercover operation as a result of that information.

Five men are accused of trying to extort £4.25m for the painting's safe return. They deny the charges.

Mr Coupland was in charge of the investigation into the 2003 theft of the painting from the Duke of Buccleuch's Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire.

He told the High Court in Edinburgh he authorised the undercover operation after solicitor Marshall Ronald contacted a London loss adjuster about the artwork.

One officer was to pretend to be working for the duke and another was to take on the role of an art expert.

Last witness

He told the court how Ronald was tailed as he met a Merseyside private investigator, who said he knew where the painting was, in a pub at London's Euston Station.

He was also being watched as he went to the Glasgow offices of solicitors HBJ Gateley Wareing in October 2007 where it is alleged the painting was to be handed over in exchange for more than £4m.

Mr Coupland was the last witness called by the Crown after 18 days of evidence.

On trial along with Mr Ronald, 53, are Robert Graham 57, and John Doyle, 61, all from Lancashire, Calum Jones, 45, from Renfrewshire, and David Boyce, 63, from Lanarkshire.

They deny conspiring to extort £4.25m and an alternative charge of attempting to extort the money. They are not accused of the robbery.

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, Week 4

Solicitor denies being axe-wielding thief of duke's Da Vinci masterpiece

Published Date: 24 March 2010

A SOLICITOR strongly denied that he was an axe-wielding robber who stole a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece from a Scottish stately home.
The High Court in Edinburgh yesterday heard a tape recording of detectives questioning Marshall Ronald, 53, after finding him with the painting.

Madonna of the Yarnwinder was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire four years earlier.

Ronald and four others face a charge of trying to extort more than £4 million in return for the painting's safe return to its owner, the Duke of Buccleuch.

None of them is accused of playing a part in the armed robbery in August 2003.

But at the end of a lengthy interview on 4 October 2007, Detective Sergeant Colin Burnie confronted Ronald with an allegation that, along with others, he had attacked a tour guide at Drumlanrig Castle, threatened her with an axe and robbed the duke of his treasured painting.

Ronald, of Skelmersdale, Lancashire, replied that he had never been to the castle then, did not know the tour guide and had never heard of the Leonardo da Vinci painting at that time.

"I have never robbed the Duke of Buccleuch," he told police.

Ronald told them he was concerned that, after questioning about his role in the recovery of the painting, he was charged with robbery.

"In short, I absolutely deny any involvement in the robbery and what I have done is everything in my power to safely recover that painting in the best way I know as a professional lawyer," he said.

Ronald was detained in the Glasgow offices of law firm HBJ Gateley Wareing at the end of an undercover police operation.

As part of the operation, arrangements had been made for the painting to be delivered from an unknown location in England to Glasgow so it could be examined and verified as the genuine Leonardo work.

In the interview, Ronald said he had been working on returning the painting for several weeks, following an approach by two clients, Robert Graham and John Doyle, who had said they might be able to assist in "repatriating" it.

He insisted: "I have not been covert in any way at all. I have not done anything wrong. I have done something, I think, quite extraordinary."

Ronald stated that he and the clients had visited Drumlanrig and had come to appreciate just how much Madonna of the Yarnwinder had meant to the ninth Duke of Buccleuch, its owner at the time.

"We did the tour... our motivation was: We are going to make this (the return] happen. Jack (Doyle] is a worrier and several times he may have jeopardised the operation, saying this was a sting and that we were going to get arrested.

"Myself and Robbie (Graham] said we don't care if we get arrested because we are doing the right thing."

He agreed that he stood to make a lot of money from the deal.

He claimed he and the others had been "devastated" not to have managed to return the painting before the Duke of Buccleuch died in September 2007, to be succeeded by his son, the tenth duke.

On trial with Ronald of Highmeadow, Ravenscroft, Upholland, Skelmersdale, are Robert Graham, 57, of Gawhill Lane, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancashire; John Doyle, 61, of Summerwood Lane, Halsall, Ormskirk, Lancashire; solicitor Calum Jones, 45, of Knockbuckle Road, Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, and solicitor David Boyce, 63, of Clark Street, Airdrie, Lanarkshire.

They deny conspiring to extort £4,250,000 or, alternatively, attempting to extort the money.

A second charge, also denied, alleges that the five accused attempted to defeat the ends of justice by getting one of the undercover officers to sign an agreement that police would not be told about what was happening.

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Give Gerald Daniel Blanchard a Chance !!!

"To have once been a criminal is no disgrace. To remain a criminal is the disgrace"
Malcolm X
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/03/ff_masterthief_blanchard/



Joshuah Bearman (joshuah_bearman@hotmail.com ) wrote about rescuing American hostages from Iran in issue 15.05.
-
Art Hostage Comments:

John Lennon said "Give Peace a Chance"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-NRriHlLUk&NR=1

All we are saying, is give Dan a chance, all we are saying is give Dan a chance !!!!

Art Hostage says "Give Gerald Daniel Blanchard a Chance"

Stolen Art Watch, Panthers in the Pink or Noortman Revisited !!!!

Tefaf fair heist lands thieves $1.3m haul

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/tefaf-fair-heist-lands-thieves-13m-haul/story-e6frf7jx-1225843564468

A RING and a diamond necklace worth 860,000 euro ($1.3 million) were stolen at the world's leading antiques fair in the Netherlands yesterday.

"A ring with a big sapphire and a diamond necklace belonging to London jeweller Hancock were stolen,'' a fair spokeswoman confirmed.

The Tefaf fair in the Dutch city of Maastricht opened on March 12 and closed yesterday.

The 11.65-carat ring and the 7.23-carat necklace disappeared between 5pm and 6pm (local time) and police were investigating, Ms Vellenga said.

The 23rd edition of the Tefaf fair drew a crowd of 73,000 visitors this year.

More than 260 art and antiques dealers showed 30,000 paintings, sculptures, pieces of furniture, jewellery, china, clothes and manuscripts.

The fair's biggest sale was a 1534 painting by German artist Lukas Cranach, David and Bathsheba, which went for €5.3 million.

Art Hostage Comments:

A trophy crime for the Pink Sapphire, ideal for a Pink Panther.

However, lets not forget the Noortman scenario.

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, Heading For The Exit on A Sinking Ship !!!

Da Vinci trial told of 'shell-shocked' lawyer

Court hears of day prestigious law firm was raided when police recovered stolen Da Vinci masterpiece

A top lawyer ducked out of a back door - so that he could brief colleagues about why police had raided the firm's offices looking for a painting stolen from the Duke of Buccleuch.

A trial heard on Wednesday that David Boyce, 63, looked "shell-shocked" when he met other partners of HBJ Gateley Wareing soon afterwards.

"As you can imagine, it was not a normal day at the office," said solicitor Maggie Moodie, 43, describing the event to a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Boyce is now on trial - along with two other solicitors and two Merseyside private investigators - accused of demanding more than £4 million for the safe return of a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece.

The Madonna of the Yarnwinder, then insured for £15m, was snatched from the ancestral home of the Dukes of Buccleuch at Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire, in August 2003. It was found on the boardroom table of the law firm's plush offices in West Regent Street, Glasgow, by a posse of detectives on October 4 2007.

At the time, commercial litigator Ms Moodie was also the HBJ Gateley Wareing partner who dealt with complaints. Boyce was a senior partner. Ms Moodie said she was at her desk in Edinburgh when she received a phone call from the Glasgow office telling her the premises had been raided by 14 police officers and that Calum Jones, another partner, had been arrested, along with clients of the firm.

She was immediately driven through to Glasgow with the law firm's chief executive. As she and other HDJ Gateley Wareing partners talked about what was happening, they were joined by Boyce. "He explained later, in the boardroom, that he had gone out of the back door so he would be available to explain the situation," she told the court.

She continued: "He said something like 'ducked out' or 'dived out' - I am not sure what the word was - but he gave the impression he made a quick exit out of the back door. David Boyce looked shell-shocked."

He told the other lawyers he had introduced what he called "the transaction" to the firm but hadn't had much to do with it, passing the matter on to Calum Jones. "He said Calum Jones had done nothing wrong and they were acting in the repatriation of the painting." Ms Moody also told advocate depute Simon DiRollo, prosecuting, that she was "alarmed" to see a clause in an agreement which Boyce and Jones appeared to have been working on which suggested law enforcement officers would not be told about efforts to return the Leonardo da Vinci painting.

After the police raid, HBJ Gateley Wareing contacted a senior advocate to get counsel's opinion on how they should report the issue to the authorities and also the firm's PR people "to protect as far as we could the firm's good reputation." Ms Moodie said: "We were really fire-fighting at the time. It was a most unusual situation."

The trial has heard that Boyce began as an apprentice with law firm Boyds and worked his way up to become a senior partner and was heavily involved in that Glasgow firm's merger with the English-based HBJ Gateley Wareing. He was well regarded by fellow professionals and clients in his field of commercial property law, said defence QC David Burns.

On trial are solicitor Marshall Ronald, 53, of Skelmersdale; Robert Graham, 57 and John Doyle, 61, both of Lancashire; solicitor Calum Jones, 45, of Renfrewshire, and solicitor David Boyce, 63, of Airdrie. They deny conspiring to extort £4.25m or, alternatively, attempting to extort the money. A second charge, which they also deny, alleges that the five accused attempted to defeat the ends of justice by getting one of the undercover officers to sign an agreement that police would not be told about what was happening.

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Dutch Art Arrests, Chicken or the Egg !!!

2 arrested in Dutch art heist

Police in the Netherlands have arrested two men in the theft of two paintings, including a Salvador Dali, from a Dutch gallery last year.

The paintings — Adolescence, a 1941 gouache by Dali, and La Musicienne, a 1929 oil painting by Polish-born painter Tamara de Lempicka — were not recovered. A gouache is made with opaque watercolors, mixed with gum.

Masked robbers raided the Scheringa art museum in Spanbroek during daylight hours on May 1, 2009, threatening a guard and a receptionist before escaping with the paintings.

The suspects, aged 29 and 43, were arrested Wednesday in the southern city of Breda, police said.

The museum targeted in the heist closed last year after the DSB bank owned by its patron, Dirk Scheringa, collapsed


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/story/2010/03/17/dali-art-heist.html#ixzz0iSYkWlrn

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, When in Doubt, Leave it Out, Walk Away, Live to Fight Another Day !!!!

Leonardo da Vinci lawyer foresaw 'history or arrest
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8570573.stm

The Leonardo extortion trial has heard claims one of the accused said he would either make art history or be arrested.

Lawyer Calum Jones, 45, was later led away by detectives who raided the Glasgow offices of HBJ Gateley Wareing.

The 2007 raid also found the Madonna of the Yarnwinder which had been taken from the Dumfriesshire estate of the Duke of Buccleuch four years earlier.

Five men deny conspiring to extort £4.25m for the painting's return. They are not accused of the robbery.

The High Court in Edinburgh was hearing evidence from James Rennie, 45, a specialist in corporate law and a former colleague of Mr Jones.

He described seeing him in the Glasgow law offices.

He said the last time he had seen Mr Jones before learning police were in the building he had been on his own.

Deny charges

"I am either going to make art history or I am going to be arrested," he said.

Mr Rennie said his colleague seemed to address the remark to the world at large.

Questioned by advocate depute Simon Di Rollo, prosecuting, Mr Rennie said he did not know what the remark meant and he had no idea that a stolen painting was to be brought into the offices.

On trial along with Mr Jones, 45, from Renfrewshire, are David Boyce, 63, from Lanarkshire, and Marshall Ronald, 53, Robert Graham, 57, and John Doyle, 61, all from Lancashire.

They deny conspiring to extort £4.25m and an alternate charge of attempting to extort the money.

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, Police Not on Guest List !!!!

Da Vinci trial told of 'no police clause'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8569215.stm

A senior solicitor has told a court he found it "very surprising" a contract over a stolen painting contained a provision police were not to be told.

Malcolm McPherson said he had received a call that the painting had been recovered from a law firm's office and a partner had been arrested.

Calum Jones was held after Leonardo da Vinci's Madonna of the Yarnwinder was found at the office.

He is one of five men who deny seeking £4.25m for the painting's return.

The masterpiece was taken from Drumlanrig Castle in 2003.

Mr McPherson, the senior Scottish partner in HBJ Gateley Wareing, said he was with a client in Edinburgh when he was phoned by lawyer David Boyce on 4 October 2007.

Lawyer arrested

Mr McPherson told the High Court in Edinburgh: "He told me that the picture had been found in the office and that Calum Jones had been arrested."

He said he was informed that police had come to the office and that Mr Jones had been "trying to repatriate the picture".

Mr McPherson said HBJ Gateley Wareing had been involved in the takeover of another law firm, Boyds, where Mr Boyce and Mr Jones worked in August 2007.

Advocate depute Simon di Rollo asked Mr McPherson if he was aware of the "so-called transaction" over the painting during the takeover and he replied: "Never at any time."

'Very surprising'

Mr McPherson said he became aware a document had been prepared concerning the return of the picture with a clause that said "fundamentally nobody would tell the police or any other law enforcement agency".

The prosecutor asked Mr McPherson if he found it surprising as a lawyer that there was a proposition that the police were not to be told. He said: "I think it's very surprising."

In further evidence antiques dealer James Tierney told the court that Marshall Ronald, 53, had acted for him in compensation dealings with Liverpool council and he contacted Mr Ronald to demand when the money was going to be paid.

Mr Tierney said a meeting about the money was eventually set up with Mr Ronald. Mr Tierney told the court: "He said he had used it for this deal he had done with this painting."

Charges denied

On trial along with Mr Jones, 45, from Renfrewshire, and Mr Boyce, 63, from Lanarkshire, are Mr Ronald, 53, Robert Graham, 57, and John Doyle, 61, all from Lancashire.

A further charge alleges that they attempted to defeat the ends of justice by requiring an undercover officer to sign an agreement that police would not be notified.

They are not accused of stealing the painting and deny conspiring to extort £4.25m or attempting to extort the money.

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, Week 3, Waiting For Edgar !!!!

Waiting for Edgar !!!!

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, Week 2 Ends !!!

Da Vinci trial hears of loan request

A lawyer asked one of his clients if he could borrow £350,000 to retrieve a stolen painting, a trial has been told.

Roy Radcliffe, 60, told the High Court in Edinburgh that he was promised a 10% profit but he dismissed lawyer Marshall Ronald's proposal as ludicrous.

Mr Ronald, 53, is one of five men accused of demanding £4.25m for the safe return of a stolen Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece.

The Madonna of the Yarnwinder was taken from Drumlanrig Castle in 2003.

It belonged to the Duke of Buccleuch, who lived at the castle in Dumfriesshire.

Mr Radcliffe told the court that in September 2007, Mr Ronald was conducting litigation on his behalf in a dispute over property.

My mobile rang and he asked me if I wanted to make some money," he said.

"If I could lend him £350,000, I would get a return of £35,000 within a few days."

Asked by advocate depute Simon Di Rollo, prosecuting, about his reaction, Mr Radcliffe told him: "Just surprise really."

He added: "It just seemed a bit ludicrous really."

Mr Ronald called him later that day and again the following day repeating his request and talking about a painting, the court heard.

Mr Radcliffe said: "He just said it was something that had been stolen from Scotland and he could retrieve it for the rightful owner and that was about it.

"I didn't really take a lot of notice."

'Not nicest area'

The trial has heard that the Lancashire-based solicitor went to his bank to arrange a £350,000 cash withdrawal from his law firm's client account, asking for the bundles of banknotes to be delivered to a Liverpool building maintenance firm.

The cash was to get access to the stolen painting, the trial heard.

Security van driver David Gore, 43, based at the G4S Bottle office, told of his worries when he was asked to take the money to premises in Netherley.

"It is not the nicest area round there," he said.

Mr Gore said he was expecting to deliver his consignment to a secure office or cash room, but all he found was a kitchen or a canteen.

He was asked to put the plastic bags of banknotes into the boot of a blue S-type Jaguar parked in the yard.

'Little strange'

The jury were shown a photo of the car with the blue and white wrapped bundles in the open boot and, by the Jaguar stood Robert Graham, 57 - another of the men on trial.

Susan Norton, 51, a director of JC Construction Ltd, said Ronald acted as solicitor for the building firm and she found his request to use their premises "a little strange".

On trial along with Mr Ronald and Mr Graham are John Doyle, 61, all from Lancashire, Calum Jones, 45, from Renfrewshire, and David Boyce, 63, from Lanarkshire.

They are not accused of stealing the painting and deny conspiring to extort £4.25m or attempting to extort the money.

The trial continues on Monday.

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, Worm Turns !!

Lawyer Wanted £2 million Da Vinci Deal

A SOLICITOR told an undercover cop he personally wanted £2million for the return of a stolen Leonardo Da Vinci masterpiece, a trial heard yesterday.

Marshall Ronald, 53, warned the officer not to mention the legal fees to his clients, it was claimed.

Ronald and the policeman, who used the alias John Craig, had already agreed a price of £2million for Madonna of the Yarnwinder to be brought back safely. But Ronald insisted on a secret "side" deal, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.

Mr Craig - who was posing as an agent of the Duke of Buccleuch, who owned the painting - said Ronald told him: "Nobody knows about it."

The alleged exchange came four years after the art, insured for £15million, was stolen from the Duke's Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire.

The pair were about to meet Ronald's co-accused Robert Graham at a pub in Euston, North London.

Graham wanted to be convinced that Mr Craig was not "the chief of police", the trial heard.

Mr Craig said bosses told him not to wear a wire for the meet, in case he was searched.

But Graham, who introduced himself as a Liverpool publican with underworld contacts, secretly recorded the encounter.

On the tape, played to the jury, Graham is heard to say: "I am not doing this for the money."

Graham later tells Ronald: "He's convinced me I am 100 per cent safe."

The court also heard Ronald wrote of "heart stopping moments" as he arranged to wire cash between offshore accounts.

His email to HSBC commercial manager Fiona Wilson, 38, came a day before cops seized the painting at Glasgow law firm HBJ Gateley Wareing.

He had told her £2million would be deposited in his client account and she should make up five bundles of cash - but it never arrived, she said.

Ronald, 53, of Upholland, Lancs, Graham, 57, and John Doyle, 61, both of Ormskirk, Lancs, Calum Jones, 45, of Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, and David Boyce, 63, of Airdrie, deny trying to extort £4.25million for the art's safe return in 2007.

Solicitor in Da Vinci case 'sought £2m'

A solicitor hired to help two private investigators claim a reward for a Leonardo da Vinci painting stolen from the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry secretly negotiated an extra £2 million for himself, a court heard yesterday.

Marshall Ronald, 53, also lied to his clients and described them as “idiots” and “a pain in the ass”.

The Madonna of the Yarnwinder was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire in 2003. Mr Ronald and four others, including his two clients, are on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh for attempting to extort £4.25 million for the painting’s return.

The jury heard details of e-mail and telephone exchanges between Mr Ronald and an undercover officer, using the alias John Craig, who the solicitor thought was working on behalf of the Buccleuch family. The pair had agreed a figure of £2 million for the painting.

Then Mr Ronald asked for another £2 million in legal fees — but insisted that Mr Craig should not mention the figure to the men he was representing.

Mr Craig, questioned by solicitor advocate John Keenan for co-defendant Robert Graham, agreed that Mr Ronald had asked for £2 million and that the solicitor had told him: “That is an agreement on the side. Nobody knows about it except me and you.”

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, Scales of Justice !!!

Men accused of extortion over stolen Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece made no demands for money, court told
Mar 11 2010 By Brian Horne

MEN accused of holding a stolen art treasure to ransom made no demands for cash when it was handed over, a trial was told yesterday.

The High Court in Edinburgh watched secretly recorded video footage of a meeting in a Glasgow law office.

An undercover cop, posing as an art expert, confirmed that The Madonna Of The Yarnwinder - stolen four years earlier from the Duke of Buccleuch's Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire - was genuine.

The detective, known by his alias of David Restor, then began to pack the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece in a special case.

Police colleague John Craig, pretending to be an agent for the duke, left the room to make a telephone call to him.

But he was really triggering a police raid on the city centre offices of HBJ Gateley Wareing in West Regent Street, Glasgow, the court was told.

Yesterday, Craig, an alias to protect his identity, faced questions from defence QC Donald Findlay about the handover on October 4, 2007.

Mr Findlay pointed out that, although photos were being taken in the room, no one made any attempt to conceal their identity as the world-famous painting passed into the hands of the law.

He said: "Have we heard anybody saying, 'Hang on a minute, lads, what are you doing with the painting?

"We have not had confirmation we have had the money yet. You are not getting the painting until we get the money.'

"Have you heard anything like that?"

Mr Craig, speaking from behind a screen in the courtroom, replied: "Not to my knowledge."

He also confirmed that no attempt had been made to stop him or his colleague taking the picture.

Five men are accused of demanding £4.25million for the safe return of the masterpiece valued at £50million.

English lawyer Marshall Ronald, 53, Liverpudlians Robert Graham, 57, and John Doyle, 61, and Scottish solicitors Calum Jones, 45, and David Boyce, 63, deny attempting to extort £4.25million from the duke and his late father for the return of the painting.

A second charge alleges that the five accused attempted to defeat the ends of justice by getting one of the undercover officers to sign an agreement that police would not be told about what was happening.

The trial continues.

Da Vinci accused was 'not in it for money'

A trial has heard that a man accused of being part of a conspiracy to extort £4.25m for a stolen painting, said he was not in it for the money or glory.

The High Court in Edinburgh was told that Robert Graham made the comment during a taped conversation with an undercover policeman.

He is one of five men facing charges relating to the Leonardo da Vinci work the Madonna of the Yarnwinder.

It was stolen from the Duke of Buccleuch's estate in Dumfries in 2003.

The court heard that Mr Graham, a 57-year-old Liverpool publican, met with undercover policeman John Craig at a London pub in 2007, believing him to be an agent of the Duke.

'Cloak and dagger'

The trial was told that Mr Graham was seeking assurances from Mr Craig before he went ahead with a plan to retrieve the stolen painting from unnamed intermediaries.

During their conversation, he told Mr Craig: "I don't feel I'm doing anything illegal or wrong. I can see it bothering me for the rest of my life if I don't do this."

Asked what would happen if police found him with the painting, Mr Craig referred to a contract and he told Mr Graham: "There's no cloak and dagger here, no last-minute surprises."

After the meeting, Mr Graham is heard to say that Mr Craig had convinced him he was "100% safe".

"He's working for the Duke and we're working for them. It's as simple as that," he said.

In court, defence QC Donald Findlay put it to Mr Craig, that he made all the running in talks with another accused, Marshall Ronald.

Painting's theft

Suggesting that the Duke was interested in buying back the painting and did not care if the police were involved or not, Mr Craig said he was only playing an agreed and authorised role.

On trial along with Mr Graham are Marshall Ronald, 53, and John Doyle, 61, all from Lancashire, Calum Jones, 45, from Renfrewshire, and David Boyce, 63, from Lanarkshire.

They have denied conspiring to extort £4.25m and an alternative charge of attempted extortion.

The offence is alleged to have taken place between July and October 2007.

They are not accused of the painting's theft.

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna Trial , Police Fox V Silver Fox !!!!

Da Vinci negotiations held in London pub

A TRIAL yesterday heard first hints about how a stolen art treasure surfaced more than four years after robbers took it from a Dumfriesshire stately home.

The details emerged at the first face- to-face meeting between an undercover detective, a solicitor who was helping negotiate the return of the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece and a Liverpool publican known as The Silver Fox.

The undercover detective, using the alias John Craig, said his boss would not allow him to wear a wire for the meeting in a London pub because of fears that he might be taken into the toilets and strip- searched.

Giving evidence at the High Court in Edinburgh Mr Craig told what he remembered of the meeting with Robert Graham, 57, a man he later described as "a loveable rogue".

Silver-haired Graham, together with solicitor Marshall Ronald, 53, and three other men are accused of demanding more than £4 million for the safe return of the painting.

Graham had come to the pub meeting on September 30, 2007, thinking he was meeting a representative of the Duke of Buccleuch, the painting’s owner. Graham appeared terrified that he might be arrested in connection with the stolen painting and wanted to meet Mr Craig to make sure he was not "the chief of police."

Mr Craig said yesterday that he and Graham swapped "personal details". He added: "He was the owner of a number of pubs in the Merseyside area and his nick-name was The Silver Fox.

"Through his background and ownership of these pubs he learned a lot about what was going on in criminal circles. He found out about this painting and that he could retrieve this painting."

The court heard that Graham also brought to the meetings press clippings of himself and associate John Doyle, 61, about their crime-fighting organisation, Stolen Stuff Reunited.

The internet-based company had returned a stolen sword to "the family of a military man".

It had then gone bust, after Graham, who had also worked as a private investigator, had sunk £30,000 into the venture.

Mr Craig said: "Robert Graham told me everything he was doing he was doing out of a sense of decency."

The court heard that to back his own pretence that he was a former insurance expert now working for the Ministry of Culture in Madrid, Mr Craig had arranged a call to his mobile phone – so that he could speak in Spanish.

After the meeting, the trial heard, phone calls between Ronald and Mr Craig continued in an attempt to arrange the handover of the painting.

The picture Madonna of the Yarnwinder was snatched from the wall of Drumlanrig Castle on the Duke of Buccleuch’s Dumfriesshire estate in August 2004. by raiders posing as tourists who then over-powered a tour guide and produced an axe.

The painting - then insured for fifteen million pounds - was recovered when police stormed a meeting in the Glasgow offices of law firm HBJ Gateley Wareing in October, 2007.

On trial are solicitor Marshall Ronald, 53, of 15A Highmeadow, Ravenscroft, Upholland, Skelmersdale; Robert Graham, 57, of Gawhill Lane, Aughton, and John Doyle, 61, of Halsall, both Lancashire; solicitor Calum Jones, 45, Knockbuckle Road, Kilmacolm, and solicitor David Boyce, 63, of Airdrie.

They deny conspiring to extort £4,250,000 or, alternatively, attempting to extort the money.

A second charge alleges that the five accused attempted to defeat the ends of justice.

Officer tells of stolen da Vinci role

By John Robertson
A LAWYER wanted to discuss other works of art after he had helped in the recovery of a stolen £20 million painting, a court has heard.

Marshall Ronald, 53, a solicitor from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, allegedly had negotiated a personal payment of more than £2 million and another £2m to be shared by him and four associates for returning Leonardo da Vinci's Madonna of the Yarnwinder.

The deal had been agreed with "John Craig", a man who posed as a representative of the Duke of Buccleuch, from whom the painting had been stolen, but who was an undercover policeman, the High Court in Edinburgh has heard.

Ronald attended a meeting in the offices of Glasgow law firm HBJ Gateley Wareing, when the painting was produced to "John Craig" and a colleague pretending to be an art expert to verify it.

Giving evidence while the public was screened from seeing him, "John Craig" said that, as part of his pretence, he made a phone call to have money released into bank accounts for which Ronald had supplied the details.

He said: "Marshall Ronald wanted a conversation about other artworks, a Van Gogh and a Rembrandt."

A short time later, the police arrived, seized the painting and detained everyone in the room, including the two officers.

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Leonardo Da Vinci Madonna, Loveable Lamb, Slaughtered !!!

Leonardo Da Vinci accused was 'loveable rogue'

An undercover policeman has told a court about his first contacts with the men accused of trying to extort £4.25m for the return of a Leonardo artwork.

The officer met Liverpool publican Robert Graham - known as the Silver Fox - in a pub at London's Euston Station.

He described the accused as a "loveable rogue" who claimed he was acting out of a "sense of decency".

Mr Graham and four others deny trying to extort money for the safe return of the Madonna of the Yarnwinder.

The masterpiece was stolen from the Duke of Buccleuch's Dumfriesshire estate in 2003.

An undercover officer, known by the alias John Craig, was giving evidence at the High Court in Edinburgh about the first indications the artwork had resurfaced four years later.

He told the trial that Mr Graham had come to a pub meeting in September 2007 thinking he was meeting a representative of the duke.

Mr Craig said he appeared terrified that he might be arrested in connection with the stolen painting and wanted to meet him to make sure he was not "the chief of police".

Mr Craig said that he and Mr Graham swapped "personal details".

"He was the owner of a number of pubs in the Merseyside area and his nickname was the Silver Fox," he said.

"Through his background and ownership of these pubs he learned a lot about what was going on in criminal circles.

"He found out about this painting and that he could retrieve this painting."

The court heard that Mr Graham also brought to the meetings press clippings of himself and associate John Doyle and their crime-fighting organisation, Stolen Stuff Reunited.

Private investigator

The internet-based company had successfully returned a stolen sword to "the family of a military man", which was the story in the newspaper clippings.

The firm went bust after Mr Graham, who had also worked as a private investigator, had sunk £30,000 into the venture.

On trial along with 57-year-old Mr Graham are Marshall Ronald, 53, and John Doyle, 61, all from Lancashire, Calum Jones, 45, from Renfrewshire, and David Boyce, 63, from Lanarkshire.

They have denied conspiring to extort £4.25m and an alternative charge of attempted extortion.

The offence is alleged to have taken place between July and October 2007.

They are not accused of the painting's theft.

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Da Vinci Madonna , Lamb's to the Slaughter !!!

Da Vinci was recovered via 'Stolen Stuff Reunited', court is told

Published Date: 09 March 2010
By John Robertson

A £20 MILLION work of art taken from a castle by "gypsies" resurfaced four years later through a business called Stolen Stuff Reunited, a court has heard.
After the theft, the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece Madonna of the Yarnwinder had been used in a "dodgy" property deal and the people who had accepted it as security wanted to recoup their money, a jury was told yesterday.

They approached private i nvestigators who ran a company which "repatriated" property to its rightful owners. One contact led to another, and eventually the painting was delivered to a lawyer's office in Glasgow after a covert police operation.

Tapes of calls between an undercover officer and a solicitor as they haggled over a price for the return of the painting were played at the High Court in Edinburgh. The officer's opening gambit of £1.5 million was met with a flat response, he told the court.

"There was no excitement or energy in his voice," said the man, known as "John Craig". The lawyer, he added, then demanded £2m for himself and £2m for others.

The trial has heard that Madonna of the Yarnwinder was stolen in 2003 from the Duke of Buccleuch's Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfries and Galloway.

In August 2007, Marshall Ronald, 53, a solicitor, of Skelmersdale, Lancashire, contacted an insurance loss adjuster, saying he acted for clients who could assist in the painting's return. He was put in touch with "John Craig", an undercover officer he believed to be working for the duke.

The officer said Ronald had told him that some years ago he helped set up a company, Stolen Stuff Reunited, for two "Liverpool lads" who also did private investigation work. They had been approached by clients who had said they had the painting.

"It had been stolen by members of the gypsy or travelling community and had not left Glasgow," the witness said, summarising his first telephone call with Ronald.

"It had been used as collateral in a dodgy £700,000 real estate deal that went wrong."

The officer said he had a series of subsequent phone conversations with Ronald, who had spoken of needing £700,000 for the "first parties" and then "overage", a sum to be shared by five others, including himself.

Mention had been made of £1.5m but Ronald's reaction had been flat. He had stated: "I think they are expecting a bit more."

The figure was increased to £2m, and Ronald then had brought up "legal costs" for the first time. He asked for £2m for himself, which was to be kept secret from the others.

"I have given a stern reality check to the intermediaries and persuaded them to accept the sum (£2m) offered in our last discussion," Ronald had written in an e-mail to "John".

Talking of his own expenses, he had added: "I have delved into a frightening world of smoke and mirrors and had to challenge some heavyweight individuals whose motivations are very questionable. I have been dealing with very volatile people.

"The painting is in the possession of an individual who has gone to extraordinary lengths to protect his or her identity."

Ronald and four others deny conspiring to extort £4.25 million from the duke and the insurer, Hiscox UK, for the safe return of the painting.

The trial continues.

Lawyer 'haggled over price' of Da Vinci stolen from Scots stately home, court told

Mar 9 2010

A LAWYER and an undercover cop haggled about the price of returning an art treasure to a Scottish stately home, a court heard yesterday.

Solicitor Marshall Ronald spoke about clients who had a business called Stolen Stuff Reunited.

Phone conversations between Ronald and a man who used the alias John Craig were played to a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Leonardo da Vinci's Madonna Of The Yarnwinder was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire, in August 2003.

The painting, then insured for £15million, had been stolen to order as collateral in a "dodgy real estate deal".

Craig gave evidence from behind a screen. In the phone calls, Craig claimed to be someone helping the family to get the painting back.

The artwork was eventually seized by police during a raid on the offices of Glasgow law firm HBJ Gateley Wareing on October 4, 2007.

Ronald, 53, of Upholland, Skelmersdale; Robert Graham, 57, of Ormskirk; and John Doyle, 61, of Ormskirk, all Lancashire; solicitor Calum Jones, 45, of Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, and solicitor David Boyce, 63, of Airdrie, Lanarkshire, deny conspiring to extort £4.25million or, alternatively, attempting to extort the money.

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Da Vinci Madonna, Week Two !!!!

Da Vinci artwork return 'starting figure' heard

The Leonardo da Vinci extortion trial has heard one of the accused say that the starting figure for the Madonna of the Yarnwinder's return was £700,000.

Marshall Ronald told a man he believed represented the Duke of Buccleuch that five people wanted a 20% share of any additional payment to bring it back.

Mr Ronald is one of five men accused of conspiring to extort £4.25m for the safe return of the painting.

All of them deny the charges they face at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The court was played a taped phone call between Mr Ronald and a man calling himself John Craig.

He was an undercover police officer pretending to be working directly for the Duke of Buccleuch.

The painting was taken in a raid on the duke's Dumfriesshire estate in 2003.

Mr Ronald said he had been told the artwork had been stolen by gypsies and at some point was put up as security for a £700,000 loan for a real estate deal which collapsed.

'Professional fees'

He said it would cost that amount to get possession of the painting and five people were to split between them any money paid out on top of that.

There would also be "professional fees".

Mr Ronald - who is a lawyer in Lancashire - said he was working with two Scottish solicitors, David Boyce and Calum Jones, because he "wanted to do things properly, with integrity".

Mr Craig told him that the duke was interested in what he called a "buyback" and he would be advising the family to "go for this".

On trial along with 53-year-old Mr Ronald are Robert Graham, 57, and John Doyle, 61, all from Lancashire, Calum Jones, 45, from Renfrewshire, and David Boyce, 63, from Lanarkshire.

They have denied conspiring to extort £4.25m and an alternative charge of attempted extortion.

The offence is alleged to have taken place between July and October 2007.

They are not accused of the painting's theft.

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Da Vinci Madonna, Go, Go, Go !!!!

Jury sees dramatic moment da Vinci recovered

DRAMATIC video footage of detectives gatecrashing a meeting in a law firm's offices and recovering a stolen work of art was shown to a jury yesterday.
Two men detained in the raid had minutes earlier been filmed smiling and shaking hands over the £20 million Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece, Madonna of the Yarnwinder, right, which had been missing for four years.

In the surprise and confusion that followed the police moving in, one of the pair was seen to remain in his seat, eating a biscuit and supping from a cup.

The High Court in Edinburgh was told that the raid at the offices of HBJ Gateley Wareing in West Regent Street, Glasgow, on 4 October, 2007, had been the finale of a weeks-long undercover police operation.

That was sparked by a letter from solicitor Marshall Ronald, 53, from Lancashire, to an insurance loss adjuster. He said he was acting for clients who could assist in the "safe repatriation" of the painting stolen from the Duke of Buccleuch's Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire, in 2003.

The loss adjuster contacted the police and officers using the names "John Craig" and "David Restor" posed as the duke's representative and an expert.

The public area of the court was screened off as "David" gave evidence. He said he contacted Ronald by phone. A recording of the call was played to the jury.

Ronald said: "I do feel I can help sort this out and I am genuinely trying to do so. I am anxious to physically get control of this now but I don't want us to fall into the trap of handling stolen goods.

"Do you see the dilemma? I'm trying to do it properly. I'm dealing with rather volatile individuals.

"If they do not care about this, I do. I recognise the value of this classic piece of art. The faster I get it safely back the better, from my point of view."

The officer asked why Ronald did not go to the police, and he replied: "I don't think it would be helpful. I think if I go down that route, the clients will do something very silly."

He added that he was only a sole practitioner who had come across the situation by chance, and he had gone to Scottish solicitors of some standing for credibility.

"David" told the jury a meeting was arranged in Glasgow at which the painting was to be produced for examination. He and "John Craig" arrived by taxi and were met at reception by Calum Jones, 45, a solicitor. As they waited for the lift, Jones told them Ronald had said "the lady was close by".

Jones took the men to a boardroom and left them. "John Craig" made calls on a mobile phone while "David" set up equipment on the table. He placed a digital video camera among the equipment, and it began recording.

Jones returned to the room with Ronald and two other men, Robert Graham, 57, and John Doyle, 61. Doyle was carrying a black folio case. The painting was taken from it and "David" examined it. He said he was "absolutely confident" it was the Madonna of the Yarnwinder.

Then "John Craig" left the room for a short time. "David" said: "A little time after that, the door opened and police officers entered and introduced themselves as having a warrant. Officers were assigned to everybody in the room. There was a large number of police officers."

Even "David" and "John Craig" were detained, along with Ronald, Jones, Graham and Doyle.

The advocate-depute, Simon Di Rollo, QC, then asked for footage from the video camera to be played to the jury.

Ronald, Graham and Doyle, all from Lancashire; Jones, from Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire; and David Boyce, 63, a solicitor, from Airdrie, Lanarkshire, deny conspiring to extort £4.25 million from the duke and the insurer, Hiscox UK, for the safe return of the painting.

The trial resumes next week.

Stolen Art Watch, Da Vinci Madonna Undercover Cop David Rester !!

Da Vinci painting accused "warned against" police involvement
http://news.scotsman.com/news/Da-Vinci-painting-accused-34warned.6128587.jp

Published Date: 05 March 2010
By DAVID GUNN
A lawyer said to have offered to assist in the recovery of a stolen Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece said his clients would "do something very silly" if police were contacted, a court heard today.

Marshall Ronald said he was dealing with "volatile individuals" and such a move would not be helpful, jurors were told.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the statements were made in a telephone conversation with an undercover officer posing as an art restorer after a police operation to trace the £20 million Madonna Of The Yarnwinder swung into force.

The trial also heard that Ronald, one of five men accused of holding the artwork to ransom for £4.25 million, said he did not want to "fall into the trap of handling stolen goods".

The painting was snatched by armed raiders from Drumlanrig Castle, the Dumfries-shire estate of the Duke of Buccleuch, in August 2003.

The court has heard how an undercover police operation got under way in the summer of 2007 after an expert on recovering missing art received a "deceptive" letter from the accused solicitor, Ronald.

Jurors heard that the correspondence, sent in an email to loss adjuster Mark Dalrymple, stated that he had been instructed to act for clients who could assist in the recovery of the painting.

It added: "Our concern is to negotiate the safe repatriation of the painting and negotiate the reward/finder's fee on behalf of our clients."

Today, the trial heard from one of the officers involved, who gave his evidence under the false name "David Restor". He was also screened off from the public benches.

The jury of nine women and six men was played a recording of a telephone conversation said to be between him and Ronald on August 14 2007.

The two men could be heard discussing the issues raised in the letter and how it could be established that the painting being talked about was genuine.

During the conversation, jurors heard that Ronald said: "I'm dealing with people who can sometimes be a bit volatile.

"I'm anxious to physically get control of this now... but I don't want to fall into the trap of handling stolen goods."

He added later: "I'm dealing with rather volatile individuals. They don't care about this, I do. I recognise the value of this classic piece of art."

Ronald said he had now raised his head "above the parapet" and had contacted Mr Dalrymple because he was trying to do things "properly", jurors heard.

When asked if he would contact police, he replied: "I don't think it would be helpful if I went down that road. The clients would do something very silly."

Ronald, 53, of Skelmersdale, Lancashire, Robert Graham, 57, and John Doyle, 61, both of Ormskirk, Lancashire, Calum Jones, 45, a solicitor, from Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, and David Boyce, 63, a solicitor, from Airdrie, Lanarkshire, deny conspiring to extort £4.25 million from the Duke and the painting's insurers.

They are not accused of the robbery.

Stolen Art Watch, Da Vinci Madonna, Dalrymple Day, Update !!!!

Undercover police's Leonardo da Vinci ruse outlined

A trial has heard about a ruse which put undercover police on the trail of a stolen Leonardo da Vinci painting.

An expert on recovering stolen art has been giving evidence in the case of five men accused of holding the masterpiece to ransom for £4.25m.

Loss adjuster Mark Dalrymple told a court how a plan swung into operation after he received a "deceptive" letter.

All five men deny attempting to extort money for the safe return of the Madonna of the Yarnwinder.

The High Court in Edinburgh was told about a note from a law firm in the north of England seeking to negotiate a reward for its clients in helping to "repatriate" the painting.

It was e-mailed to Mr Dalrymple four years after the artwork was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle on the Duke of Buccleuch's Dumfriesshire estate.

His reaction was to telephone Det Insp Gary Coupland, who was then leading the hunt for the robbers.

"I think the police felt it was more likely to enable them to progress their investigation if the insurers and myself were to be neatly taken out of the equation," said Mr Dalrymple.

He said the plan was that an undercover officer, using the pseudonym John Craig, would make contact with solicitor Marshall Ronald, one of the men now on trial.

"We had already agreed if there were any future or further inquiry there would be a ruse," he added.

The story was to be that Mr Dalrymple had fallen out with Mr Craig. Mr Craig had quit his job but might still get involved.

"If he (Ronald) wanted to pursue the matter he should contact Mr Craig directly, who was acting for the Duke of Buccleuch," he said.

Mr Dalrymple admitted he was "perplexed" that solicitors should think there was a legal way to repatriate the painting.

He said the practice was for a reward to be offered for the safe return of such a treasure but only after police had approved the deal to ensure that no money was being paid to criminals.

Comparable thefts

He said no figure was ever put on how much might be paid for the Madonna of the Yardwinder but revealed in court it would be of the order of £50,000 to £100,000.

Mr Dalrymple said that during his years as a loss adjuster there had been only half a dozen art thefts comparable to the Drumlanrig Castle robbery.

He had been involved in securing the return of Turner works stolen from an art gallery in Frankfurt, Germany and a Titian taken from the Marquis of Bath.

On trial are Marshall Ronald, 53, Robert Graham, 57, and John Doyle, 61, all from Lancashire, Calum Jones, 45, from Renfrewshire, and David Boyce, 63, from Lanarkshire. They are not accused of the robbery.

They have denied conspiring to extort £4.25m and an alternative charge of attempted extortion.

The offence is alleged to have taken place between July and October 2007.

The trial continues.

From The TimesMarch 4, 2010
Leonardo detectives set up ‘sting’ after tip off from insurance adviser
Scotland Staff

(PA)The Leonardo da Vinci painting, Madonna of the Yarnwinder, stolen from Drumlanrig Castle in 2003Detectives investigating the theft of a Leonardo da Vinci painting from the Duke of Buccleuch set up a “sting” operation, after being contacted by a senior insurance adviser.
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Chartered loss adjuster Mark Dalrymple, told police he had received a letter seeking to negotiate a reward for the safe return of the stolen artwork, the Madonna of the Yarnwinder, a court was told today. Mr Dalrymple, told the High Court in Edinburgh that he had found the letter “deceptive” and decided to contact the police.
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The “strictly private and confidential” letter, said to have come from one of the accused, Marshall Ronald, stated that he, Mr Ronald, was part of a team that could negotiate the “safe and speedy” return of the artwork through “informal mediation”.
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Mr Dalrymple told the court that Mr Ronald said, in a subsequent phone conversation, that he felt things were “too complicated” for him to go to the police.
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Jurors have heard how the painting was stolen by raiders from Drumlanrig Castle, the Dumfries-shire estate of the Buccleuch family, in August 2003.
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Five men are on trial in Edinburgh, where they deny trying to extort £4.25 million for the painting’s return in 2007. They are not charged with the robbery.
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In the dock are Marshall Ronald, 53, a solicitor from Skelmersdale, Lancashire; Robert Graham, 57, of Ormskirk, Lancashire and John Doyle, 61, also of Ormskirk. Also on trial are two Scottish solicitors, Calum Jones, 45, from Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire; and David Boyce, 63, from Airdrie in Lanarkshire.
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The fourth day of the trial heard how Mr Dalrymple, the proprietor of loss adjusters Tyler & Company in London, worked in conjunction with the painting’s insurers, Hiscox, after the robbery.
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The court heard that he received a letter, sent by e-mail in August 2007, said to be from Mr Ronald.
In it, he stated that he was acting for clients and said: “We make it plain from the outset that we do not act for the thieves and have no knowledge as to the identity of the original thieves.”
It added: “Our concern is to negotiate the safe repatriation of the painting and negotiate the reward/finder’s fee on behalf of our clients.”
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Mr Dalrymple, 57, told the nine women and six men of the jury that he found the letter had a “deceptive” flavour.
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He said: “It did not seem to me to be a letter inviting amicable discussion. It seemed to be negotiating with regard to an item stolen.
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“Well, we don’t negotiate. It’s stolen and, therefore, it should simply be given back to the owner. It was well-known, famous enough for that to occur.”
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Mr Dalrymple contacted police and an undercover operation was mounted, the court was told.
The witness said he spoke to Mr Ronald on the phone shortly after receiving the letter.
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He said he asked Mr Ronald why he did not go straight to police to recover the painting to them.
“The answer was that Mr Ronald felt it was too complicated to do,” said Mr Dalrymple.
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The witness said he got the sense that those involved “felt there was a legal way to repatriate it”.
The case continues.
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Update:

The Leonardo da Vinci extortion trial has been played a taped phone call between one of the accused and a man he believed to be an art restorer.

Lancashire-based lawyer Marshall Ronald said he thought he could get back the stolen Madonna of the Yarnwinder.

However, he added that he was dealing with "volatile people, who could do something "very silly".

Stolen Art Watch, Da Vinci Daily !!

Leonardo da Vinci raid 'deeply upset' duke

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8547458.stm

A duke was "deeply upset" by the theft of a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece and the lack of progress in recovering it, his son has told a court.

The Madonna of the Yarnwinder was said to have played a "very special part" in the life of the late Duke of Buccleuch.

His son, the current duke, said it was a "huge relief" when the artwork was eventually recovered undamaged.

Five men are on trial accused of trying to extort £4.25m for its return. They are not charged with the robbery.

The painting was taken from Drumlanrig Castle, north of Dumfries, in August 2003.

Richard Montagu Douglas Scott, the 10th Duke of Buccleuch, said his family had had to contemplate that the artwork - valued at £20m in 2008 - might have been destroyed.

He was giving evidence on the third day of the trial of five men accused of plotting to extort £4.25m for the safe return of the piece.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that his father, John, died on 4 September 2007, a month before the painting was recovered.

'Emotionally important'

He agreed with prosecutor Simon Di Rollo that his father had been "particularly fond" of the painting.

He said: "It was hugely emotionally important for all of us in the family, but I think for my father in particular, who felt most keenly its loss.

"It was clear to anyone who knew him that he was deeply upset by the loss and by the lack of any progress in recovering the painting."
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Before any evidence on Wednesday, the jury was taken to view the painting at the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh, where it is being exhibited.

Gallery director Christopher Clarke, 57, told the court he was called upon to identify the painting at a police station in October 2007 after its recovery.

The trial also heard from Martin Kemp, emeritus professor of art history at Oxford University, who reckoned there are no more than 20 artworks by Leonardo in existence.

The trial heard that the painting was conservatively valued by Christie's in 2008 at £15m to £20m, and again in 2009 at £30m-£50m before it went on temporary display at the gallery.. John Knight, a Christie's director specialising in old masters, said very few Leonardos had been sold openly. The last, a drawing of a horse and rider, sold for £8m in 2001.

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On trial are Marshall Ronald, 53, Robert Graham, 57, and John Doyle, 61, all from Lancashire, Calum Jones, 45, from Renfrewshire, and David Boyce, 63, from Lanarkshire.

They have denied conspiring to extort £4.25m and an alternative charge of attempted extortion.

The offence is alleged to have taken place between July and October 2007.

The trial continues.

Stolen Art Watch, Da Vinci Madonna, Breaking News !!!!!!

Painting plot accused 'wanted to negotiate recovery'

Published Date: 02 March 2010

A solicitor from Lancashire accused of being part of a £4.25 million extortion plot said he wanted to negotiate a reward for clients who could help with the recovery of a stolen Leonardo da Vinci artwork, a court heard.

Marshall Ronald from Skelmersdale wrote that he was part of a team that could negotiate the "safe and speedy" return of the precious artwork through "informal mediation".

The High Court in Edinburgh heard the letter, sent in an email in August 2007, was composed around 10 days after he and two other solicitors discussed the legality of trying to secure a reward for the return of the stolen Madonna of the Yarnwinder.

The court heard suggestions from Mr Ronald's defence counsel that there was nothing covert, secret or underhand about the letter.

The details emerged on the second day of the trial of five men accused of plotting in 2007 to extort £4.25 million for the safe return of the painting.

The masterpiece was stolen four years earlier, in August 2003, from Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire.

In the dock are: Marshall Ronald, 53, from Skelmersdale, Lancashire; Robert Graham, 57, of Ormskirk, Lancashire, and John Doyle, 61, also of Ormskirk.

Also on trial are two Scottish solicitors, Calum Jones, 45, from Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire; and David Boyce, 63, from Airdrie in Lanarkshire. They deny the charges against them. They are not accused of the robbery.

The court was played a tape recording of a meeting said to have involved the five accused at the Glasgow offices of Boyds solicitors on July 30 2007.

Jurors heard how Mr Ronald said an "approach" had been made about the painting and that there was a conversation about the legality of trying to secure a reward for the return of the artwork. He wrote that the clients could bring about the safe delivery of the painting within 72 hours and he sought a "without prejudice" meeting with the loss adjuster.

Stolen Art Watch, Da Vinci Madonna Trial, Day 2

Da Vinci Madonna, Gardener's Account

A court has heard how a gardener ran to challenge raiders making off with a masterpiece from a Scottish castle.

John Chrystie, 50, was weeding in the grounds of the Drumlanrig estate when he saw three men with Leonardo da Vinci's the Madonna of the Yarnwinder.

He set off after them until one of them produced a small axe to scare him off.

Five men are on trial in Edinburgh accused of trying to extort £4.25m for the painting's return. They are not charged with the 2003 robbery.

Mr Chrystie, who had worked for the Duke of Buccleuch in south west Scotland for 20 years, said he heard "banging and then alarm bells" on the day of the raid.

He told the High Court in Edinburgh he then saw a man wearing a white sombrero-type hat carrying something square.

The gardener said that from the colours he recognised it as the Leonardo da Vinci painting.

"When I realised what was happening I was going to have a go at one of them and he pulled an axe from his jacket, a small hand axe," he said.

"I veered off and just ran up the banking."

Taped recording

The jury at the trial has also been hearing a taped recording of a meeting involving the defendants in the extortion case.

It took place at Glasgow law offices where two of them were solicitors.

Prosecutors are presenting it as evidence of a conspiracy to extort £4.25m for the safe return of the stolen painting.

Marshall Ronald, 53, Robert Graham, 57, and John Doyle, 61, all from Lancashire, Calum Jones, 45, from Renfrewshire, and David Boyce, 63, from Lanarkshire, deny the charges against them.

They pled not guilty to conspiring to extort £4.25m and an alternative charge of attempted extortion.

The offence is alleged to have taken place between July and October 2007.

The trial, before Lady Dorrian, continues.

Art Hostage Comments:

This is what will happen to anyone, I repeat anyone, who tries to either pass information, or hand back any stolen art, unless of course you are ex-police officers like Mick Lawrence and Jurek Rokoszynski (Rocky) who recovered the stolen Turners and were paid £500,000 of the £3.5 million paid to Edgar Liebrucks the German Lawyer, who in turn paid Stevo V the original organiser of the Turner theft.
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Turners article here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1502283/How-Tate-laid-money-trail-to-recover-Turners.html
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Another high profile stolen art recovery was the Titian stolen from Longleat House, home of the Marquis of Bath.
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Charlie Hill, yes you've guessed it, another ex-police officer, paid David Dudden £15,000 deposit, which Charlie Hill obtained from the Marquis of Bath, then the Titian was recovered at a bus stop in London, followed by another payment made by Charlie Hill to David Dudden of £85,000 to finalise the transaction.
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Titian article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/aug/23/arttheft.arts
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Being an ex-policeman allows all sorts of things to happen !!!!!!
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Those who may have information about the Gardner art stolen from the Gardner Museum Boston, 1990, take note, this is your fate, the same as the Da Vinci Madonna defendants facing criminal trial, if you so much as offer any slight indication you have credible information.

Anthony Amore has the FBI, Geoff Kelly in particular, on speed dial ready for the time when Anthony Amore receives credible information.

Interesting to note, a Lawyer in the Boston area was approached in the not too distant past and asked for their opinion about handing back the stolen Gardner art.

This lawyer, unlike the Da Vinci Madonna lawyers, said, and I quote:

"Until the Gardner Museum firm up their reward offer, the FBI agree to step aside and Immunity agreements are issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office, do nothing, say nothing and realise the Gardner art is radioactive"

Smart lawyer !!!!!!!!!

Stolen Art Watch, Da Vinci Madonna Trial , Up and Running !!!!!!

Stolen Da Vinci extortion trial begins

Five men accused of holding a £4.25 million Da Vinci artwork to ransom went on trial in Edinburgh on Monday.

The Madonna of the Yarnwinder was stolen from the Duke of Buccleuch's Dumfriesshire estate by unknown thieves in 2003. The five men on trial are accused of creating a scam designed to get members of the Buccleuch family and their insurers to pay for its return.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard all the men deny conspiring to extort £4.25 million, as well as an alternative charge of attempted extortion.

The gang is accused of reset and of embezzling cash which was used when the painting was recovered from England.

Marshall Ronald, 53, from Skelmersdale, Robert Graham, 57 and John Doyle, 61, from Lancashire, Calum Jones, 45, from Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire and David Boyce, 63, from Airdrie, deny the charges.

The group is said to have worked alongside others in 2007, at various locations across England and Scotland, to hatch a plot to steal cash from the ninth Duke of Buccleuch, who died weeks before the painting was recovered, his insurers and his son, who took over the title.

The men are said to have threatened the Dukes, saying the da Vinci would be damaged or destroyed if the money was not paid.

The five accused are alleged to have menaced the dukes with threats that the da Vinci painting would be damaged or destroyed if the money wasn't paid.

The indictment read to the jury on Monday claims that the group met in the offices of solicitors' firm Boyds, now HBJ Gately Wareing, in Glasgow in July 2007 to agree to their plan.

Ronald is then alleged to have contacted a chartered loss adjuster acting for the Duke's insurers, claiming the painting could be returned in 72 hours.

The indictment claims Ronald thought he was in contact with people acting for the Duke of Buccleuch when he sent e-mails and made phone calls saying "volatile people" would "do something very silly" to the picture if police were called in. The emails are also said to have demanded £2 million be deposited with a solicitors' firm and another pounds £2.25 million be put in a Swiss bank account.

The jury was told Ronald was not aware that he was actually dealing with undercover officers. Ronald is also alleged to have bought special, acid-free paper and a case for transporting the painting, before passing £350,000 to Graham.

Graham and Doyle are then said to have collected the Madonna painting from somethere in England and delivered it to the Solicitors' office in Glasgow.

Court papers also claim that at a meeting held there in October 2007, Ronald, Graham, Doyle and Jones met with two undercover officers. They are alleged to have claimed the would return the painting if the £4.25 million was paid in two instalments.

The men are also facing a second charge of defeating the ends of justice by getting one of the undercover officers to sign an agreement that police would not be told about what was happening.

The trial before Lady Dorrian at the High Court in Edinburgh continues.

BBC Reports:

Five men have gone on trial accused of conspiring to extort £4.25m for the return of a Leonardo da Vinci artwork.

The Madonna with the Yarnwinder was stolen from a Dumfriesshire estate in August 2003.

The court case centres on an alleged scam to get members of the Duke of Buccleuch's family and their insurers to pay for its return.

The five men deny conspiring to extort the £4.25m and an alternative charge of attempted extortion.

The offence is alleged to have taken place between July and October 2007.

The men are accused of threatening to damage the painting if the money was not paid for its safe return.

Marshall Ronald, 53, Robert Graham, 57, and John Doyle, 61, all from Lancashire, Calum Jones, 45, of Renfrewshire, and David Boyce, 63, of Lanarkshire all deny the charges.

The trial before Lady Dorrian at the High Court in Edinburgh continues

Stolen Art Watch, Insight Into How Police Investigate Art Crime !!!!

£10,000 painting found on thief's wall

A prolific thief has been jailed after a valuable painting stolen from a Hull museum was found hanging in his dining room.

The £10,000 work of art, painted by the renowned John Ward more than 150 years ago, was taken from the wall of Hull Maritime Museum, in Queen Victoria Square, city centre, on June 17 last year.

Initially, it was feared the 12in by 18in painting of a ship, called Schooners Ellen Crawford and Dwina, had been stolen to order and would never be recovered.

It was spotted by chance when two Humberside Police detectives carried out an arrest in a dingy two-bedroom terrace on Princes Avenue, off Greek Street, west Hull.

PC David Jacketts and Detective Sergeant Darren Rose had gone round to arrest Brian Adrian Thompson, 48, for failing to answer bail following four convictions for assaulting his wife.

They found Thompson, who has 58 previous convictions for theft, had hung the painting, in its impressive gold frame, on the chimney breast of his dining room wall.

It was surrounded by magazine cuttings and his wife Suzanne Lynford's own art work.

It is believed Thompson acquired the painting for his wife, due to her love of art.

He has now pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property and been jailed for 18 months.

His wife was also cautioned for possessing criminal property.

Doncaster Crown Court heard Thompson denied stealing the artwork and there was no evidence he had been the one to remove it from the museum.

Judge Jacqueline Davies said: "Items like this are part of the heritage of the city of Hull, building on its reputation and art links with the maritime world.

"This was a serious offence. It would be obvious to anyone looking at it that it was an item of some value - the frame is gilt and ornate. It has a plaque upon it describing its age and there are written documents on the back giving an indication to its age.

"It is valued in the region of £10,000, but it is not just monetary value - it is historic value."

When the police recovered the painting, they did not take any fingerprints or carry out any forensic tests on it for fear of damaging it.

Thompson had screwed two holes into the back of the frame in order to hang it, but no damage was caused to the actual painting.

Judge Davies added: "The item in question is a work of art belonging to the Maritime Museum.

"Thankfully, the painting has been recovered, but it was a valuable item in your possession for a period of up to three months."

The court heard it was painted in 1843 – the same collar tag as PC Jacketts.

He added: "It was a strange coincidence."

Simon Green, assistant head of culture and lifestyle for Hull City Council, which runs the museum, said: "We are delighted that the painting was found and safely returned to its home in the Maritime Museum."

Mr Green, who revealed the painting had been screwed to the wall when it was taken, added: "A theft from a public collection is a theft from everyone in the city."

Art Hostage Comments:

This is a valuable insight into how Police investigate art crime.

When an art crime is committed Police issue a Crime number to the victim and then, wait for it, Police cross their fingers and hope they stumble across the stolen art during an unrelated investigation.

That's it folks, that is the sum of Police efforts into investigating art related crime.

In this instance Police were lucky, but the other 99% of the time stolen art remains outstanding.

Stolen Art Watch, Tiny Reward Offered for £5-10 Million in Stolen Art !! Update !!!!

Art theft in Somerset prompts £50,000 reward

A £50,000 reward has been offered after paintings were stolen during an aggravated burglary in Somerset.

Sixteen paintings were stolen including Endymion by George Frederick Watts, alone estimated to be worth up to £1m.

Masked intruders got away with the works after forcing their way into a property, near Bruton, in March 2009 and left a woman tied up.

Police said the victim, 47, was found at 1600 GMT the next day with bruising, and "extremely shaken and distressed".

A police spokesman said Apple Blossom by Sir George Clausen, An Italian Peasant Boy by Richard Buckner, A grey pony in a stormy landscape by James Ward and John Anthony Park's St Ives were also taken.

Richard Ellis, director of the Art Management Group, which offers services for people seeking to acquire, conserve, or recover art and antiques, said: "Clausen was a prominent British artist and a member of the [Royal] Academy. Apple Blossom is an oil on canvas which is signed and dated 1899 on the reverse.

"The most high-value painting is the Watts oil on canvas. I would estimate this is worth £800,000 to £1m."

He said the paintings were not saleable on the open market.

"They have all been placed on the Art Loss Register and would be very difficult to shift through dealers. It is conceivable they could have been used as a commodity to exchange for drugs or as collateral for other criminal operations," he added.

The owner of the paintings is offering the reward for the arrest and conviction of the offenders, and the recovery of the artworks undamaged.
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Update:
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Detective Inspector Jim Bigger of the Somerset East Public Protection Unit said: "This is a substantial reward, however I do not see this a simple recovery exercise for the paintings, I am focused on the facts that the paintings may lead me to the persons responsible for committing this extremely violent crime, a crime which resulted in my victim being tied up for 18 hours. That is my objective."