Twenty detectives and 35 gardaí are today investigating the theft of two paintings worth £3 million from Russborough House in Co Wicklow yesterday.
A Garda spokesman told ireland.comhouse-to-house inquiries were being done to try to trace the movements of a Mitsubishi Pajero jeep used to ram the front door of the 18-century house and the Volkswagen Golf getaway car, which was later found burnt out in Russelstown Park.
The two pictures - Madame Baccelli: Dancerby Thomas Gainsborough and View of Florence Looking Towards the Ponte Vecchioby Bernardo Bellotto - were stolen in the three-minute raid at 12.40 p.m.
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Madame Baccelli by Thomas Gainsborough
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It was the third major robbery at Russborough. In 1974 an IRA gang stole 19 paintings, all later recovered, and in 1986 a gang of Dublin criminals led by Martin Cahill stole 18 art works, three of which were never recovered.
The Gainsborough stolen yesterday had been taken in the previous two robberies.
Chief Supt Sean Feely of Naas said there had been "a lot of bungling" in yesterday's raid, and he was confident the paintings would be recovered.
