Monday, 23rd January 2006 (4139 views)

A Renaissance gold-plated sculpture has been found in a wood, over two years since it was dramatically stolen from an Austrian museum.

The Saliera, the Benvenuto Cellini sculpture considered to be the "mona lisa" of the art form, is worth over £30 million. It was discovered after a man, who was identified in photographs as being a suspect in the case, had turned himself in.

"We have found the Saliera. It is now in police safekeeping," said a Vienna policeman according to Reuters. He added that the suspect was in custody with the authorities.

The sculpture had been housed within Vienna's Art History Museam until 2003, when it was taken by thieves who managed to climb the institution's walls, break a window and steal the piece – defying the building's security systems.

Recently a man, who was thought by police to have been used to demand ransom for the sculpture, had been identified buying a mobile phone over CCTV.

"We're overjoyed that this unique artwork has been retrieved. It's a coup for the investigators," said a spokesperson for Austria's education minister.

 

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