Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mastermind of Icon Thefts in Greece Is Identified; Sold Icons by Saying They Were Family Collection

The Ekathimerini (Greek) website reports today (May 8, 2011) that Scotland Yard has identified the alleged mastermind behind a ring that has been stealing hundreds of religious icons from churches and monasteries in Epirus and Thessaly, which ended up at European auction houses.

Police in Athens were informed of the identity of the mastermind -- who is from Thessaly -- by their British counterparts. The person has not yet been arrested, because his whereabouts are currently unknown.

The alleged ringleader had claimed that the icons were family heirlooms from his father's personal collection.

Police are confident that the information they have gathered will help them smash the ring behind the disappearance of hundreds of Byzantine icons, as well as the theft of pieces of icon screens and communion cups.

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