News Item: 00035

4th Oct 2007

Recovery of stolen 'Madonna and the Yarnwinder'

Source: http://www.dumfriesandgalloway.police.uk

Officers from Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary have recovered the 'Madonna with the Yarnwinder' Da Vinci painting.

Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary are pleased to announce that the painting recovered by officers today is the actual Madonna with the Yarnwinder Da Vinci painting.

Art experts confirmed this afternoon (Thursday 4th October) that the painting is the one that was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle four years ago.

The masterpiece was recovered in the Glasgow area and follows the long-term efforts of officers involved in the enquiry. Three men from the Lancashire area and one man from Glasgow have been arrested during a police operation.

Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary were assisted by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, Serious and Organised Crime Agency and Strathclyde Police.

The masterpiece was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle at Thornhill on Wednesday 27 August 2003 and is reported to be worth somewhere in the region of £15 million pounds.

Leading investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Mickey Dalgleish from Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary said: "We are extremely pleased to recover the Madonna of the Yarnwinder painting. Through careful investigations and intelligence-led police work we were able to locate the painting and make four arrests. These individuals will now be reported to the Procurator Fiscal and are expected to appear at Dumfries Sheriff Court on Friday 5 October. The recovery of this artwork is down to extensive police enquiries and the combined efforts of several Scottish police forces, the SCDEA and SOCA. For four years police staff have worked tirelessly on the theft and with help from the public we have been able to track down and locate the painting. I would like to thank all staff involved in this investigation, partner police forces and agencies as well as members of the public for supplying crucial information."