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Some of Haida artist Bill Reid's stolen artwork has been recovered, but police refused to disclose how many pieces were found and what led them to the discovery.
"Some of the Bill Reid pieces were recovered intact," Vancouver RCMP Const. Annie Linteau said. "We're very pleased."
Global News reported that a search warrant was executed Sunday on a home in south Burnaby as part of the investigation.
Rear of 4100-block Hurst St. residence in Burnaby where stolen art by artist Bill Reid was reportedly recovered.
Chuck Russell/Vancouver Sun
The TV footage showed police going into an average-looking home on Hurst St., located southeast of Central Park.
Police would not say whether the house was related to the investigation of artworks stolen last month from the University of B.C.'s Museum of Anthropology.
"I can't confirm that," Linteau said.
Police are not disclosing the locations where search warrants were executed in Metro Vancouver, she said.
Linteau said she couldn't provide more details about the case for reasons of officer safety and because police were still searching some locations and the investigation was continuing.
So far, there have been no arrests in the case, but police said they will release more information in the next day or two.
UBC spokesman Scott Macrae said officials were "absolutely delighted" about the Bill Reid artwork being recovered intact.
Initially, officials feared that the 12 pieces -- 11 of them made from gold by the late Vancouver artist -- might have been stolen for the gold value and melted down.
The gold value was estimated at $15,000, so UBC offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the return of the artifacts, which have an estimated art value of about $2 million.
"Obviously, we'd like them back as soon as possible," Macrae said. "I guess whatever evidentiary requirements by the RCMP will have to be observed. We're just glad they are in safe hands."
He said he didn't know how many pieces have been recovered. "All I've been told is that some of the pieces of Bill Reid's works have been recovered."
Police earlier received some information from an anonymous tipster, who is believed to have helped police recover the artwork, which was stolen May 23 during a brazen break-in at the Museum of Anthropology.
The theft was not discovered until the next day.
After receiving the anonymous tips, RCMP said last week there was a strong possibility that the stolen pieces were still in the Metro Vancouver area, with thieves from the region possibly trying to sell the artifacts through a Vancouver-area network of criminal associates.
The Vancouver RCMP major crime section assisted the university RCMP detachment in investigating the theft of the Bill Reid artworks: five gold bracelets, a gold box with an eagle on top, a pair of gold cufflinks, a pair of ivory-and-gold cufflinks, three gold brooches and an argillite stone lacquer panel pipe.
Three Mexican necklaces of gold-coloured coins were also stolen from drawers at the museum.
It is believed one or more thieves broke a window at the museum and came inside wearing gas masks, then doused the room with pepper spray before grabbing the artworks.
A museum security guard was apparently on a smoke break.
Someone reportedly called campus security and said to ignore the alarm because the system was malfunctioning.
nhall@png.canwest.com
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