Airport finds Duchess of Argyll's £100k jewellery... then sells it for fraction of its value

The Duchess of Argyll has voiced her 'disbelief' after learning that £100,000 of jewellery she lost at Glasgow Airport six years ago had been sold on by bosses there for a fraction of its value.
The 68-year-old misplaced four items, including a Victorian diamond tiara, in a bag when she returned from London to Inveraray Castle.
But when they were found by the British Airports Authority (BAA), they did not inform the police and simply sold them to a diamond merchant for just £5,000.
The proceeds were given to charity as was standard procedure for property unclaimed within three months.
In the meantime, the Duchess had reported the incident to the police and the Art Loss Register (ALR), which listed it on its database of stolen antiques, but it didn't unearth any leads.
It was only earlier this year when she finally realised what had happened after spotting one of the pieces - a Cartier brooch in a catalogue of Scottish auction Lyon & Turnbull (L&T).
The find was investigated by ALR's lawyer, Christopher Marinello, who discovered that the jewellery had actually resurfaced just months after it was lost and was sold for less than £5,000.

 

Mr Marinello said: 'Apparently, the airport found the jewels or they were turned in to 'lost and found' by someone... The question remains: what did they do to help find the owner?
'They didn't call the police even though the airport police had a record of the theft.
'They didn't call ALR. The only thing they did was sell them.'

Trying to make amends: The operators of Glasgow Airport has since offered to reimburse the diamond merchant in order for the tiara and brooch to be returned to her, although an emerald ring and pearl earrings are still missing

He established the brooch was consigned to L&T by someone who bought it in good faith from the diamond merchant.
The Duchess said: 'I'm absolutely amazed. I thought that after six years I'd lost them forever.
'The tiara was a Victorian family one and the necklace was given to me for my 21st birthday. So everything was very special.'
The BAA has since offered to reimburse the diamond merchant in order for the tiara and brooch to be returned to her, although an emerald ring and pearl earrings are still missing.
The Airport Authority says they no longer have records relating to the incident, but a spokesman said they would rethink their procedures as a result of the case.
Gavin Strang, L&T director, said he was 'delighted' that the jewellery was being returned to its 'rightful owner'


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