Monkey business ahead from the country house criminals who make theft a fine art

They knew exactly what they were looking for, leaving with a Meissen teapot in the shape of a monkey and a bronze bust of an oriental woman by French sculptor Charles Henri Cordier, both valued at 20,000 each. It was a tidy haul for just a few minutes' work.

The theft from the home of Sir Reginald and Lady Sheffield, parents of Samantha Cameron, happened last May, but despite a 5,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen items and conviction of the thieves, neither piece has yet resurfaced. The chances are they may never be seen again.

Thanks to films like The Thomas Crown Affair and Entrapment, those who steal art and antiques are often portrayed as gentleman thieves,

blessed with an unmistakable air of glamour. It's an image those responsible for trying to bring them to justice are keen to banish, particularly as a new breed of gang, specifically targeting the country's priceless porcelain collections, have been identified.

Since 2007, there have been 21 major thefts of porcelain up and down the country, with a further 15 attempted robberies. Many of the thefts have been from stately homes and country houses, open to the public, which allows the gangs to carefully plan their crimes while posing as paying visitors.

"Of course these collections are usually insured, but it's not just the owners, it's the public who lose out," says Dick Ellis, former head of Scotland Yard's art and antiques unit, who now works as an independent expert. "We're not talking about the kind of opportunist thief who might try to swipe something when no one is looking.

"These are organised gangs who steal either substantial parts or entire collections of very valuable antiques. Stately homes have always been a target for thieves, but over the last three years it certainly seems their tastes have changed and they are now increasingly stealing porcelain."

While the theft from Sutton Park, near Easingwold, stands among the

most high profile thefts in Yorkshire, a spate of similar raids has been plotted across the county and targets also include a number of

private homes.

Just two months before the Sutton Park theft, thousands of pounds worth of antiques were stolen from a house in Todmorden. The haul included 30 to 40 pieces of Slipware pottery and a number of pieces of sought-after Clarice Cliff have also been stolen from a private residence in Batley.

While the theft of porcelain is not quite seasonal, with the tourist season soon in full swing, it is feared this summer could see another glut of cases as criminals make the most of the longer opening hours.

"During the winter many homes close to the public which makes assessing the security and pinpointing which pieces are in which rooms all the more difficult for the burglars," adds Mr Ellis, who has been analysing links between the various thefts. "This winter was obviously

particularly harsh and doing battle with a couple of feet of snow is

not what most want to contend with.

"However, now the weather is getting warmer, I fully expect that these gangs will start to put their heads above the parapet again."

Mr Ellis has so far identified three different types of gang. The first operates at night, removing sections of glass from windows often with the use of a ladder. The second sees the burglars force their way through a door or window and may include a very small person, who is able to squeeze into narrow openings, while the third uses more brutal force of entry and tends to target only houses open to the public.

"All the gangs know exactly which pieces they are after," he says. "By posing as visitors, they can get a really good look at the security measures in places and work out how to bypass them.

"Sadly, no security system is ever 100 per cent burglar proof,

particularly when you're dealing with very experienced gangs.

"Anybody who has an alarm system needs to ensure it is regularly

maintained. It sounds like commonsense but we're all guilty of a little complacency sometimes. Criminals learn quickly and if they are given an inch they will take a mile and a whole lot of lucrative pieces with

them."

What Mr Ellis hasn't yet been able to pinpoint is what has caused the sudden love affair with porcelain.

"Up until fairly recently, it was something which was taken in a raid as an added bonus," he says. "It's fragile, it breaks easily and therefore it wasn't particularly desirable. Few burglars carry bubblewrap and most gangs used to focus on silverware or more robust antiques.

"However, the internet has made porcelain much more easy to dispose of quickly. If a gang puts an Old Master on eBay, the likelihood is someone will spot it. Paintings tend to be unique, but there can be a dozen or more examples of the same porcelain candlestick or plate in circulation.

"Instead of having to lay the haul down and gradually feed it into the market, the internet speeds up the process. Before a police investigation has even got underway, I suspect many pieces stolen from this country are already on their way to Europe where Meissen and

Svres porcelain is highly collectable.

"Items may well also be sold at large antique fairs in England, usually within a few days of the theft and then passed to unsuspecting dealers in continental Europe.

"Part of the problem is because British police forces are run on a county basis, no one force has an overview of similar crimes occurring elsewhere so investigations are limited and local. Sadly, this means little progress has been made in tackling this surge of porcelain thefts."

The Art Loss Register holds a list of more than 180,000 missing or stolen works of art, collectibles and books and its experts know first hand the knock-on effects of thefts.

"People in charge of properties are becoming increasingly reluctant to open their doors and it's easy to see why," says a spokesman. "One thing stately homes can do is make sure every piece of porcelain, every painting is recorded.

"Often these places are vast and have so many things on display that it's impossible to check them each and every night and often it might be weeks before someone notices an item is missing."

ON THE TRAIL OF THE THIEVES...

Temple Newsam, Leeds.

Four years ago, two ivory tankards, worth 11,000, along with a pair of Chinese Meiping vases, valued at 3,000, were stolen from the Tudor-Jacobean mansion in Leeds. Within a year, thieves had struck again, making off with an Italian drug jar and a pair of Creamware candlesticks.

Lotherton Hall, Leeds

Around the same time as the Temple Newsam theft, nearby Lotherton Hall was also counting its losses. In just over a week, a pair of oriental vases, valued at 1,000, a white Swansea porcelain teapot and two pairs of candlesticks were stolen in three separate thefts.

Sion Hill Hall, near Northallerton

In February last year, a pair of male and female Laughing Buddha figures, which dated back to 1860, were stolen in a raid. The thieves also took a clock made by Daniel Delander from a collection owned by the HW Mawer Trust

Burton Agnes Hall, near Driffield

The home of the Cunliffe-Lister family, the Elizabethan property, right, has been filled with art works and antiques over 15 generations, but in 2007 its impressive collection became the target of thieves who stole 30 Meissen and Derby porcelain figures.