Two men have been arrested in Athens on suspicion of blackmailing an art gallery owner over the return of three paintings that were stolen from her in March, police said yesterday.

Officers arrested a 50-year-old man, suspected of stealing the paintings from the gallery in the northern suburb of Kifissia, and a 65-year-old art dealer who contacted the gallery owner and offered to return the paintings for a finder’s fee of 10,000 euros.

The paintings, “Cyclist Wearing a Tie” by Alekos Fasianos and two works by Dimitris Mitaras titled “The Girl,” were worth some 60,000 euros in total.

The gallery owner informed the police and a sting operation was mounted. The three paintings have been returned to the gallery and police found another 17 paintings in the possession of the two suspects.