AXA ART INSURANCE can announce the safe recovery of a stolen barometer worth tens of thousands of pounds.

The 17^th century ivory and brass-plated barometer - one of the Fairfax House Museum in York’s most prized possessions - was the victim of a caught-on-camera theft that occurred at the Museum towards the end of May 2009. The recovery was made after a voluntary, confidential tip-off allowed the Police to locate the valuable piece and arrest the thieves.

The York Civic Trust-owned property in Castlegate was visited by a man and woman whose removal of the barometer was filmed by the museum’s security cameras. The footage, which showed in detail the thieves unscrew the barometer from the wall in the Georgian townhouse and conceal it under one of their overcoats, was released by police shortly after the theft.

As a result of the publicity generated, both locally and nationally, information was provided to the police that enabled them to mount an operation, recover the item and to make an arrest.

"We would like to express our thanks to the North Yorkshire police for recovering this item safely and returning it to Fairfax House." says Clare Dewey, Claims Manager at AXA Art UK - the museum’s insurer - "The David Quare barometer is now back where it belongs."

Mark Dalrymple, AXA Art’s appointed Loss-Adjuster, said: "It seemed an extremely well-planned theft. I have no doubt that the pair had been to the museum on a number of occasions planning the theft.”

The three-foot artefact, which has been reinstalled at the museum, is part of the renowned Noel Terry Collection (of Terry’s Chocolate Orange fame) of English Furniture and Clocks - an important part of the city's history. It is attributed to either Daniel Quare, the English clockmaker, instrument maker and inventor, or to John Patrick, another eminent manufacturer of this style of barometer in the period between 1690 – 1710.