They monitored his habits, movements, and relationships in order to verify that he was in possession of the stolen paintings. In 2023, they confirmed that the suspect had the works. According to The Guardian, the suspect has been identified in the police report as a 68-year old Israeli man who was a luxury watch dealer called “Daniel Z.”
On Wednesday, January 10, they obtained a search warrant and raided the suspect’s home, but were unable to find the paintings, though they did find a large sum of money. The police then questioned the suspect and he although admitted to possessing the stolen works, he refused to disclose where they were. The next day, he was charged with and arrested for handling stolen goods.
The team decided to widen their search outside of Namur to greater Belgium, including Brussels and Antwerp. In Antwerp, according to The Guardian, there was a building on their radar that previously housed an art dealership that was also linked in the past to cases of stolen art. When the investigators went to the building last Friday, they found the paintings in a cellar, both unharmed and in great condition. They were stored in wooden boxes with screwed lids, and were found in their original frames.
