SPANISH POLICE HAVE RECENTLY RECOVERED MOST OF A £270 MILLION TREASURE TROVE OF STUNNING ANTIQUE JEWELS AND OTHER VALUABLES STOLEN FROM A MANSION WHOSE OWNER SAYS HE KEPT IT LOOKING RUN-DOWN AND DECREPIT TO HIDE THE HOARD OF TREASURE INSIDE. TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN THE 14.MARCH BURGLARY IN THE NORTHEASTERN CATALONIA REGION AND A THIRD IS BEING SOUGHT, POLICE SAID IN A RECENT STATEMENT. THE ENTIRE HOUSE HAD BEEN CLEANED OUT, INCLUDING RINGS, NECKLACES, TIARAS ENCRUSTED WITH DIAMONDS, RUBIES OR PEARLS, SILVER MEDALLIONS, MEDALS, TRAYS, JUGS, AND OTHER VALUABLES DATING AS FAR BACK AS THE 12th CENTURY. ABOUT 85% OF THE LOOT, WHICH WAS KEPT IN GLASS DISPLAY CASES INSIDE, IN FULL VIEW, HAS BEEN RECOVERED, A POLICE SOURCE SAID. THE OWNER, LLORENC JAUME GRAU-PLA IS A DESCENDANT OF A MEDIEVAL BARON, AND ONLY USED THE HOUSE IN THE TOWN OF RIUDECOLS ON WEEKENDS AND IN THE SUMMER. HE TOLD THE NEWSPAPER EL PAIS: 'I KEEP THE HOUSE RUN-DOWN ON PURPOSE AS A WAY TO CAMOUFLAGE THE HIGH-VALUE COLLECTION I KEEP INSIDE.' HE ESTIMATED THE COLLECTION'S VALUE AT £270 MILLION. POLICE SAID THEY CAN NEITHER DISPUTE THAT AMOUNT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO EXPERTS TO DO AN APPRAISAL. THE TWO DETAINEES, IDENTIFIED ONLY AS YOUNG ROMANIANS, APPARENTLY INVITED THEIR OWN ARREST. A DAY AFTER THE BURGLARY, THEY CALLED POLICE TO REPORT AN ATTEMPTED THEFT AT THEIR HOME ABOUT SIX MILES FROM THE MANSION. OFFICERS SEARCHING IT FOUND A CAMERA WITH PICTURES OF THE TREASURE AND A SOCK CONTAINING AN ANTIQUE COIN FROM THE BURGLED HOUSE. THEY FOUND THE REST OF THE LOOT IN A BAG HIDDEN IN A NEARBY RAVINE. THEIR CALL TO POLICE STEMMED FROM AN APPARENT FIGHT WITH PEOPLE WHO CAME AROUND SEEKING A SHARE OF THE STOLEN PROPERTY, THE POLICE OFFICIAL SAID. THE TWO MEN ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE LEARNED FROM SOMEONE ELSE IN RIUDECOLS THAT THERE WERE VALUABLES IN THE MANSION. RIUDECOLS' MAYOR, SAID THAT THE TOWN WAS IN SHOCK OVER THE INCIDENT. 'THIS HAS BEEN SURREAL BECAUSE ALMOST ON ONE KNEW ABOUT THIS TREASURE', HE SAID.
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