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The Dutch art detective who says he recovered the 'Blood of Christ' relic
At 52, he is one of the most famous art sleuths in the world, trusted by both thieves and police for his unprecedented access to the criminal trade in stolen art.
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Dutch Art detective Arthur Brand poses with the relic of the (AFP/RAMON VAN FLYMEN / ANP)
It was 10:30 pm on a Friday when Arthur Brand got the delivery he was nervously expecting.
His doorbell rang, and when he opened the door no one was there. Instead, a cardboard box was waiting for him at the door in the dark.
In that box he said was one of the most sacred artefacts ever stolen from the Catholic Church: the "Precious Blood of Christ" relic.
"(My) heart was beating in (my) chest," the Dutch art detective told AFP in an interview about the recovery of the stolen treasure.
Brand is dubbed the "Indiana Jones of the Art World" for his remarkable recoveries of stolen art, including the "Hitler's Horses" bronze statues, a Picasso painting and a ring that once belonged to Oscar Wilde.
At 52, he is one of the most famous art sleuths in the world, trusted by both thieves and police for his unprecedented access to the criminal trade in stolen art.
But getting his hands on the "Precious Blood of Christ" relic was a particularly special experience for him.
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