$2 Million in Stolen Art from Pretoria Art Museum Found in South African Cemetery

$2 Million worth of stolen art has been found in South Africa. The Associated Press reported that four paintings were found in a private cemetery after a tip was given to police. The paitings were stolen from the Pretoria Art Museum by thieves that posed as students with their teacher.

The AP reported that an officer on Tuesday was given a tip that lead him to a cemetery about 700 miles away from Pretoria. Officers found four paintings underneath a bench. One piece of art is still currently missing.

Reuters reported that the stolen works were, ""Cat and Petunias" from Maggie Laubser, Hugo Naudé's "Hottentot Chief", "Eland and Bird" from J.H. Pierneef, Gerard Sekoto's "Street Scene" and "Fishing Boats" from Irma Stern."

Authenticity checks for the paintings are still underway. Police spokesperson, Brigadier Miranda Mills was quoted by the BBC saying, "Verification of the art must still be done, but from a layman's view it appears to be the same pieces that were taken in Pretoria,."

Authorities are investigating the incident and no arrests have been made. The other stolen painting is worth about $800,000 and is by Gerard Sekoto, reported the AP. The AP reported that the theft occurred on Sunday at the museum where the thieves payed for tickets and asked the curator to show them specific paintings before they took out guns and forced people on the ground, tied up the curator, then continued to steal the paintings that they asked about.

The AP reported that art theft at museums is not very common in South Africa but it does occur. "In February 2011, thieves stole four small, limited-edition prints by South African artist William Kentridge from a gallery in Johannesburg. Thieves also have targeted bronze statutes in other South African museums, with authorities believing they are actually then sold for their scrap metal value," reported The AP.