Greece recovers stolen Picasso, Mondrian paintings

Culture minister hails day of ‘great joy’ as famous works of art seized from the National Gallery in 2012 are found.

Greece has recovered works of art by Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondrian, stolen from its National Gallery in 2012, authorities said on Tuesday. Thieves broke into the gallery and snatched Picasso’s 1939 painting “Woman’s Head”, donated by the Spanish artist in 1949, and Dutch painter Mondrian’s “Mill” dated 1905. To mislead the guard, the thieves had activated the gallery’s alarm system several times before breaking into the building early in the morning. The guard turned off the alarm only to spot one of the thieves through the motion detector.