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Stolen Napoleonic plaques found after TV show clue

Indy Almroth-WrightSouth of England
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary Police officer on the left with antiques dealer, Paul Gostelow, right both holding ornate plaques.Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
PC Mark Webb picked up the plaques from antiques dealer Paul Gostelow

Two of three "priceless" altar plaques stolen 12 years ago from the crypt of Napoleon Bonaparte III, the last Emperor of France, have been recovered.

The crypt at St Michael's Abbey in Farnborough, Hampshire, was burgled in February 2014.

They were thought to have been lost forever until Derbyshire antiques dealer Paul Gostelow called police saying he had two of them. He told officers he realised they were Napoleonic by the ball and crown he recalled seeing on 1990s TV show Lovejoy.

Hampshire police said after an investigation with the International Stolen Arts Register the pair were confirmed as the plaques taken from the crypt. The third plaque remains missing.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary Two wooden prayer frames - they have ornate decorations around their edge placed side by side.Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
The antiques dealer recognised identifying marks on the frames from a 30-year-old episode of Lovejoy

The call was picked up by PC Mark Webb, the force's heritage crime specialist from the rural crime task force, who travelled to Derbyshire last week to recover the "unique, historically important and priceless" plaques.

He returned them to St Michael's Abbey where they are being restored before being placed back in the crypt.

The force added efforts were ongoing to locate the final plaque.

A middle aged Ian McShane in character as Lovejoy, stands with a black leather jacket, blue denim jacked and a black, wavy mullet. He is looking directly at the camera with a serious expression on his face at an outdoor Christmas market, with wreaths and decorations on the stall he is standing in front of. In the background, the bonnet of a grey, second generation Vauxhall Astra can just be made out, despite being out of focus.
The find was thanks to an old episode of Lovejoy

Lovejoy was a BBC show in the 1980s and 1990s, starring Ian McShane as the titular antiques dealer and amateur detective.

The character was known for being a lovable rogue, who usually wore a black leather jacket.

It remains one of McShane's best known roles, despite him since featuring in Hollywood films such as the John Wick movies and Hellboy.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary Altar with three plaques lined up along its front and large candelabra lined up behind.Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
The wooden prayer frames were taken during a burglary at St Michael's Abbey in Farnborough in February 2014
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