Handyman 'stole Picasso artwork'

A two-year investigation has uncovered a well-organised plot to steal hundreds of works by Picasso and other artists.

Artist's stepdaughter claims former odd-job man pilfered 400 works from her home in France.

More than 400 artworks by Pablo Picasso have been stolen from the home of his stepdaughter, she has claimed.

Catherine Hutin-Blay, the only daughter of the painter's second wife Jacqueline, believes that as many as 407 works by the Spanish artist were stolen from her home over many months by a former handyman. The thefts, which she suspects took place between 2005 and 2007, came to light two years ago when one piece was recognised after it was offered for sale by a Paris gallery.

Hutin-Blay, 65, inherited a vast collection of Picasso's work on the death of her mother in 1986 and still owns the Chateau de Vauvenargues near Aix-en-Provence in France, which Picasso bought in 1958.

The works that Hutin-Blay claims were stolen have been valued collectively at between €1 million and €2 million ($3.3 million).

The works were stored meticulously in filing cabinets. The Picasso Administration, which is run by the artist's heirs including his son Claude Picasso, contacted Hutin-Blay to see if she had sold some of the works after identifying them in a Paris gallery.

A two-year investigation has uncovered a well-organised plot to steal hundreds of works by Picasso and other artists. It emerged pieces had also been stolen from Hutin-Blay's neighbour, Sylvie Baltazart-Eon, the daughter of Picasso's art dealer Aime Maeght. Le Parisien said the most likely culprit was a handyman who carried out odd jobs at both homes. "In the beginning I suspected everyone, until I got to [the handyman]," Hutin-Blay said. "He worked for Sylvie when we were neighbours ... He worked as a gardener at the house and took advantage of this by getting a key cut for himself."

Police believe as many as 600 artworks were stolen from the two properties. It was unclear whether any arrests have been made, but a police investigation is continuing. So far, 22 of the works have been found.

In 2010, a collection of 271 artworks by Picasso, many of them previously unknown, were discovered at the home of Pierre Le Guennec, a retired electrician. He claimed the €40 million collection was given to him by Picasso in gratitude for work done installing an alarm system at the artist's home shortly before his death in 1973. The Picasso family launched a legal action disputing the claims.