STOLEN ARTWORKS TO BE RETURNED

SIXTEEN PAINTINGS THAT HAD BEEN STOLEN AT VARIOUS TIMES FROM PRIVATE HOMES AND CHURCHES WILL BE BACK BY CHRISTMAS, TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS. THE WORKS OF ART SEIZED BY POLICE IN SEPTEMBER FOR THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE HAVE BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE HOUSE OF A ROMAN DESIGNER AND 'AT LARGE WERE REPORTED STOLEN TO THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR OF ROME. IN HIS HOUSE WERE FOUND AND PHOTOGRAPHED 180 PAINTINGS FROM VARIOUS PERIODS, PURCHASED IN MARKETS AND FAIRS ACROSS ITALY, DURING A PERIOD OF OVER 30 YEARS. THE INVESTIGATION, SAID LT COL RAFFAELE MANCINO, STARTED BY THE REQUEST OF A COLLECTOR FROM ROME, WHO WANTED TO BUY A PAINTING BY THE SIENESE SCHOOL OF THE 15th CENTURY, AND IT WAS 'DIRECTED TO THE DEPARTMENT TO VERIFY THE LEGAL ORIGIN'. HAVING ESTABLISHED THAT THE PAINTING OF THE 'SUICIDE OF CLEOPATRA' WAS INCLUDED IN THE DATABASE WITH THE COMMAND OF UNLAWFULLY REMOVED CULTURAL PROPERTY, STARTED OFF THE INVESTIGATION. AFTER A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PAINTING WAS STOLEN ON 28.MAY.1972 FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE PALAZZO PICCOLOMINI IN PIENZA, IN THE PROVINCE OF SIENA. THE FINDING ALLOWED THE RECOVERY OF ANOTHER 15 PAINTINGS, PARTIAL PROCEEDS OF TEN ROBBERIES COMMITTED IN PRIVATE HOMES OF ROME, CHURCHES AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS IN CENTRAL ITALY, FOR THE VALUE OF APPROXIMATELY ONE MILLION EUROS.