A priceless 18th century painting stolen from Chester Cathedral has been recovered by police who have made five arrests.
Four men aged 31, 34, 36 and 59 and a 57-year-old woman were apprehended at a property in Edleston Road, Crewe, yesterday (September 17). They remain in custody at this time.
Police attended to make the arrests as part of Operation Hatay which is a forcewide operation to locate and arrest those who are wanted for failing to appear at court or wanted in connection with on-going investigations.
Officers made a search of the Crewe property and discovered items, which have been seized by police. One of the pieces is the 18th Century Greek Orthadox icon “The raising of Lazurus” stolen from Chester Cathedral on August 18, 2014. Officers liaised with Chester Cathedral to confirm the identity of the item.
Distressed worshippers were shocked when the artwork went missing from a wooden stand in the peaceful Chapel of Saint Anselm and was strangely replaced by a tiny plastic Christmas tree decoration. It was described at the time of the theft as “unique” and “priceless”.
Chief Superintendent Andy Southcott said: “I am absolutely delighted with the police investigation and Operation Hatay which has led to officers arresting outstanding suspects and the discovery of other items of interest. We hope that following this discovery, an extremely important icon can be reunited with its owners.
“We will also of course continue to investigate the other paintings to establish where they have come from.
He added: “Cheshire Constabulary takes heritage crime seriously and will continue to work with the community and other agencies to tackle the issue.”
