O/T Thief Asked to Help Find Paintings
AGC Queen
LONDON (AP) - Two English aristocrats have enlisted the help of a convicted art
thief to recover stolen masterpiece paintings worth more than $20 million.
The Marquess of Bath and the Marquess of Cholmondley are hoping that the
underworld connections of David Duddin will succeed where police have failed, a
private investigator hired to direct the search said Thursday.
Duddin, 57, was jailed five years ago for selling stolen antiques, including a
$5.8 million Rembrandt.
Duddin, who is free on bail after being released from jail in August, is using
his contacts to make inquiries and publicize a $140,000 reward for each
recovered painting.
He was approached for the sleuthing job while still in jail by Charles Hill, a
former detective chief inspector who was in charge of Scotland Yard's arts and
antique unit. Since retiring, Hill has set up a private consultancy to recover
stolen works.
He sees no problems in using Duddin to help find the stolen art: "Anybody who
can, within reason and legally, help is more than welcome to try."
"The main thing is you don't commit a crime," Hill added.
Duddin's tactics have included placing an advertisement in Exchange & Mart, a
magazine more often associated with the sale of used cars than old masters.
One of the paintings, Titian's "Rest on the Flight to Egypt," stolen in 1995,
is worth at least $14 million but is so well known that experts say it will be
impossible to sell.
"The White Duck," by French artist Jean-Baptiste Oudry, stolen in 1992, is
estimated to be worth $7 million to $14 million.
Duddin said he believed the two paintings were still in Britain but he said he
did not know exactly where.
He speculated that the paintings have gone through several pairs of hands and
were no longer in the possession of the original thieves.
Duddin, who is receiving expenses but not a salary, said the reward was not his
only motivation.
"I want the paintings to go back to their rightful owners."
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