A Clare man arrested in connection with the theft of thousands of euro worth of state owned art has been released without charge.
The 43 year old was detained at his Shannon home yesterday morning as part of an operation involving members of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, local officers in Clare as well as gardai from Naas.
Its reported up to half a million euro worth of art, including paintings and antique furniture, belonging to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, were stolen from a storage facility in Limerick.
Authorities were first alerted last October when two state paintings were found by chance at an auction.
The 43 year old held at Shannon Airport in connection with the thefts was released without charge this afternoon and a file is being prepared for the DPP
