Search still on for Lowry originals

GUILTY . . . Casey Miller

A 23-YEAR-OLD man has been convicted of armed robbery after paintings worth £1.7 million, including Lowry originals, were stolen from a Cheadle Hulme home.

Casey Miller, of Constable Walk, Denton, will be sentenced on Tuesday, March 17.

A man forced his way into Ivan and Louise Aird’s home by posing as the postman in May, 2007.

Once inside, he forced Louise and her two-year-old daughter Sabrina to the floor and held a knife to their throats.

Ivan heard his wife screaming and went downstairs to see what was happening.

He was also pushed to the floor before his hands were tied behind his back with cable ties.

The man, who was wearing a florescent jacket, held a knife to Ivan’s face while three other men ran around the house removing paintings from the walls.

They then left the house driving off in a blue hatchback.

Miller was arrested in November, 2007, following a series of raids. The paintings have never been traced.

Detective Constable Chris Barnes from GMP’s Major Incident Team said: “This was terrifying for the Aird family.

“The individuals who carried out this callous attack threatened a two-year-old child with a knife. This is completely unforgivable.

“The paintings stolen that day are so rare and easily recognisable they would be virtually worthless to the people who stole them as they would never be able to sell them to anyone else.

“Although we are pleased that one man has been prosecuted for his role in this, we are still keen to trace the other people involved and still want to find the stolen paintings and return them to their rightful owner.”

A £70,000 reward remains available to anyone who provides information leading to the recovery and return of the stolen paintings.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the major incident room on 0161-856 2482 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555 111.