An anonymous collector formally handed over the pieces of sacred art to the police.

Newsroom (October 28, 2021, 10:45 AM, Gaudium Press) Italy’s art police announced the recovery of two marble angels stolen in 1989 from the church of San Sebastian in Guardia Sanframondi, northeast of Naples.

Collector acquired the pieces in an antique store

A British art collector acquired the 17th-century marble angels in a Neapolitan antique store and had kept them for two decades at his home in France.

The handover occurred after the anonymous collector attempted to resell the art pieces to an antique store in Avignon, France. During the negotiation process, French police identified the possible stolen goods.

The pieces were returned without resistance

According to the Carabinieri, (the Italian police), the collector was not aware of the illicit origin of the marble angels; as soon as he found out, he offered to return them without any resistance.

According to local authorities, churches in this region of Italy suffered numerous thefts in 1980 after an earthquake destroyed large areas of the southern part of the country. Recently, another set of angels returned to the Church of Guardia Sanframondi after they were located in an antique store in Milan. (EPC)

Compiled by Ena Alfaro