Tourists' brush with art thieves

The Reed's picture of the getaway

A couple have told how they came face to face with thieves carrying out one of world's biggest art robberies.

Olive and Graeme Reed even caught them on camera escaping from Drumlanrig Castle carrying Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece Madonna with the Yarnwinder.

Pictures of the robbers, which had been circulated to the press, were those taken by the tourist couple rather than from CCTV cameras installed in the castle, as had been earlier assumed.

The theft of the painting from the Scottish castle, 17 miles north of Dumfries, sparked a massive police hunt last month with forces across the country and on the continent alerted.

Art critics have valued the painting, which has been in the family of present owner the Duke of Buccleuch for almost 250 years, at between £25m and £50m.

We heard the alarm going off and the first man climbed over the wall and said not to worry, 'Don't worry love, We're the police. This is just a practice' he said Olive Reed

The couple, tourists from New Zealand, were visiting the castle when they heard an alarm sound and then saw three men climbing over a wall.

Mrs Reed said that one claimed they were police testing the castle's security.

"We heard the alarm going off and the first man climbed over the wall and said not to worry, 'Don't worry love, We're the police. This is just a practice' he said."

"When the second man came over the wall we felt something was going on.

"The third man over the wall was carrying something under his arm which appeared to be the same size as what we've been told about the painting.

"It all happened very quickly and they had to run past us to get into their car.

"I must say we were not threatened in any way but we were very surprised by the whole thing."

Digital camera

Although startled by the men, who were well-dressed and well-spoken, the couple used their digital camera to snap them as they got into their getaway car, giving police a vital description of their VW Golf and its registration.

With the castle's alarm system still ringing, Mr and Mrs Reed walked to the entrance and told agitated staff what they had caught on camera.

"They were extremely glad to hear what we'd done because at that time they had no idea which way they had gone or what car they had used to get away."

The painting was stolen last month

Four men are believed to have been involved in the theft, which took place on 27 August, although police have only been given information about two men who were seen entering the castle and who overpowered a tour guide to take the artwork.

Mrs Reed said it was possible the third man scaling the wall had acted as lookout.

"Someone was telling them what to do - we could hear them say 'This way, this way'."

The VW Golf car used by the gang was later found abandoned three miles away from the castle.

The Auckland couple had been in Scotland to see their newborn grandson and had decided to visit the castle estate - a tourist attraction boasting a £400m art collection - towards the end of their holiday.