Art/Antiques (18)

A reward of 200,000 USD (107,712 GBP) has been offered for information that leading to the return of 12 paintings (nine pictured) by Marc Chagall, Diego Rivera, Kees van Dongen and other masters which were stolen from a home in California's San Fernando Valley.

Investigators believe a thief entered the home near Ventura Boulevard and the 405 Freeway on the morning of Aug. 23 through an unlocked side door while the maid was out. Said Los Angeles Police Detective Donald Hrycyk, one of two investigators with the art theft.

The management of Akitts Home Furnishings from which 18 Betty Boop statuettes were stolen is offering a £200 reward for any information leading to the thief or theives being aprehended.

The statuettes of the classic 1930s cartoon character start in price from £35 and the total value of the haul is in the region of £855. They were taken from the Workington store, on Pow Street, some time between August 14 and 25.

The stolen items are of various sizes with the largest being approximately 14 inches tall.

South Wales Police in the Vale of Glamorgan is investigating the theft of three pieces of outdoor artwork from the Coed Hills Rural Artspace at St Hilary near Cowbridge.

The stolen items, which have an estimated total value of around £3,000, comprise a 1.2 metre diameter steel gong, a sculpture of a buzzard in flight and a set of wind chimes were taken sometime between 2.00pm on Wednesday 29th October and 2.00pm the following day.

Detectives in Stoke-on-Trent are appealing for witnesses to come forward following a burglary at The Wedgwood Factory in Barlaston.

Offenders entered the building some time between 3pm and 5pm on Friday 21 November and stole approximately £120,000 worth of limited edition pottery.

They stole a small number of high value figures including:

The victim of a high value burglary at Horndean is offering a substantial reward for the safe return of the stolen furniture and jewellery.

Detectives at Waterlooville are appealing for sightings of property which was stolen between 7.30 and 11pm on Saturday, November 8, when the thief or thieves forced entry to the house.

Many valuable antiques and jewellery were taken from the house in the Blendworth area of Horndean when it was empty for a few hours.

Police want to hear from anyone who has seen or been offered the items.

Police are appealing for information following a burglary at an address in Woodlands Grove in the Cottingley area of Bingley between 0530hrs on Wednesday, November 5, and 1645hrs on Thursday, November 6.

The suspects attacked the property and forced entry before stealing a number of antique military bayonets.

Anyone with information relating to the incident or the whereabouts of the antiques is asked to contact Airedale and North Bradford CID on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Can you help us locate a statue which was stolen from the grounds of a National Trust Property in Ilminster, Somerset overnight on 18/19 October?

The statue, although made of lead weighs about 50 lbs or 25 kg and stands about two feet tall, is easily managed or handled by a single person.

Anyone with any information regarding this case should contact Avon and Somerset Police on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A reward is being offered to anyone who can help a Leverington Common home owner find a statue that was pilfered from his garden.

The five-foot-tall concrete statue of a woman was taken when the culprits entered the garden through the orchard at the back of the barn conversion in Leverington Common, Leverington, Wisbech. The statue is white and it has distinctive brown stains on the left arm.

Alfred Siegl, the owner, said:

Rare fairground pieces worth around £8,800 have been stolen from a lorry in Pershore.

The carousel horses and cockerels were taken from the vehicle parked on land at the back of a property at Holloway between 09:00 on Sunday, October 19 and 17:00 on Wednesday, October 22.

Two wooden horses made of solid wood and worth £2,000 each were taken. The German built horses, made by Haines were 6ft long and 5ft high.

A family is appealing for the safe return of a painting of their grandmother that was stolen during a burglary.

The painting - of only sentimental value - was taken during the incident at an address in Tavern Orchard, Warndon Villages, Worcester, between October 17 and 23.

It was painted in 1942 and depicts a woman in a white wedding dress sitting in front of a blue background. She is holding purple and white flowers in one hand and a pearl necklace in the other. The work is signed V.Settlemore in red paint.

Hertfordshire Police is appealing for assistance form the public to help trace a painting recovered from premises in Bushey following the execution of a search warrant at the premises last month.

The painting was recovered along with two others, which had been reported stolen and have since been identified by the National Art Collection.

However, despite extensive work with other forces including the Art and Antiques investigation unit at Scotland Yard, they have not been able to identify the current painting which is currently being kept at a secure unit.

A £70,000 reward has been offered in the hunt for two valuable LS Lowry paintings stolen by an armed gang.

The Viaduct and Tanker Entering The Tyne were among five works taken during a raid at an art collector's home in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport.

Three men, armed with knives, tied up Ivan Aird and threatened his wife and two-year-old daughter.

Police said the community was outraged by their ordeal and hoped the reward would yield new information.

A village has put up a £500 reward for the safe return of a historic wooden cart.

The 18th century funeral bier, used to carry coffins, was kept in a shed in Oxhey Hill and stolen on July 24.

It is owned by Cropredy Parish Council who is now offering cash in the hope the bier will be seen again.

Parish councillor Ray Cherry, of Cherry Fields, said: "We really think it must have been a prank, I can't think that anyone would be able to dispose of it.

Unique bronze statue stolen from house in Rutland. Leicestershire Police have issued a picture of a stolen bronze statue in the hope it will help indentify the people responsible for a burglary at a home in North Luffenham.

The burglary happened between 1am and 7am on December 20, 2007 at a home on Glebe Road. The picture shows a picture of a unique bronze horse and foal valued at around £2,000. It was one of a number of items taken by the thieves in the burglary.

Two valuable antique fireplaces were stolen from a house in Co. Waterford in April 2007. The fireplaces are valued at over €100,000 each. They were carefully removed from the house on 14th April 2007.

Detectives at the Arts and Antiques Investigation Unit, National Bureau Of Criminal Investigation, would like to hear from any person who can assist this investigation.

The Unit can be contacted at 01 6663405 or information may be given via the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666111.