Arrests on £2m theft of Chinese treasures

Five people from the West Midlands have been arrested in connection with a "highly organised" burglary in which two Chinese artefacts worth £2 million were snatched.

A gang spent 40 minutes digging a hole in the wall of Durham University's Oriental Museum before breaking in and stealing valuable items which were part of the Qing Dynasty.

Today it emerged that a 27-year-old man from Walsall was continuing to help officers with their inquiries. He was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Three other men, including a 56-year-old and a 41-year-old from Willenhall, and a 35-year-old from Walsall, as well as a 34-year-old woman from Bloxwich, have been questioned and released on bail until June. They were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary.

Intruders forced their way into the Malcolm MacDonald Gallery at the museum on Durham's Elvet Hill. They made off with an 18th century jade bowl and a Dehua porcelain figurine.

The figurine, of seven fairies in a boat, stands around 30cm high. Both are from the Qing Dynasty, China's last imperial dyn-asty which ran from 1644 to 1912. The items have not yet been recovered and their whereabouts are unknown.

Det Supt Adrian Green, from Durham Police, said officers believed the burglars had only been in the museum for a minute or two at the most once they forced entry. "It seems very clear that this was a well-planned, highly organised break-in."

The Durham force is working with detectives from West Midlands Police.

They want to trace the movements of two cars seen in the Durham area – a light blue Audi A3 and an orange Renault Megane. Anyone with information on the burglary is asked to call police on 101 or ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.