Paintings stolen in pounds90m raid 'found in car'

Police refused to comment on reports four stolen paintingsworth around pounds90 million had been found 500 yards from wherethey were taken.

The four Impressionist works were stolen from a private museum inSweden nine days ago by an armed gang.

Swiss media quoted unidentified eye witnesses as saying two orthree of the pictures were seen on the back seat of a white carfound unlocked in Zurich's Psychiatric University Clinic - 500 yardsfrom where they were stolen.

A large police operation followed its discovery with the hospitalgrounds sealed off and forensic experts going over the vehiclemeticulously before it was towed away.

Police had said initially that a white vehicle may have been usedby the three robbers when they escaped with the four paintings byCezanne, Degas, van Gogh and Monet from the E G Buehrle Collection.

Interpol, which has been co-ordinating the international searchfor the paintings, said it was unable to comment.

A Zurich police spokeswoman confirmed a suspicious car had beenfound at the clinic, but declined to say more than that there mightbe a connection to the robbery.

Claude Monet's Poppy field at Vetheuil was believed to have beenone of the paintings in the car.