HBJ partner arrested over stolen Da Vinci painting

HBJ Gateley Wareing's Glasgow office was rocked last week when corporate partner Calum Jones was arrested on charges of conspiracy to rob and extort money.

The lawyer was arrested on Thursday (4 October) and appeared in court the following day, after a raid organised to recover a stolen Leonardo da Vinci painting.

The painting, Madonna with the Yarnwinder, was seized at the office and Jones, along with Lancashire men Robert Graham, John Doyle and Marshall Ronald, was arrested.

The four were committed for further examination and granted bail with special conditions.

Strathclyde Police, the Serious and Organised Crime Agency and the Scottish Crime and Drugs Enforcement Agency took part in the raid.

In the UK's biggest art theft, the painting was stolen from Drumlanrig Castle, the South West Scotland home of the late Duke of Buccleuch, in August 2003.

It has been reported that Jones was checking that the repatriation of the painting, which was taken overseas following the theft, was valid in Scots law.

A spokeswoman for HBJ declined to comment.