3 Pre-Columbian Artifacts Seized, Suspect Arrested
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Three pieces of pre-Columbian artifacts stolen from a La Jolla museum last year have been recovered and a man trying to sell them was arrested, police said Monday. Shelby Fletcher, 38, who told police he is a self-employed writer, was taken into custody at an airport hotel in Los Angeles on Friday in an undercover sting operation.
Detective Bill Martin said Fletcher contacted a Los Angeles art dealer in late November, offering to sell two pieces of pre-Columbian relics for $250,000 each. The dealer recognized the description of the works from a flyer distributed by the Mingei International Museum of World Folk Art in La Jolla after the articles were stolen Oct. 23. He called police and an undercover operation was set up.
Fletcher was booked on suspicion of possession of stolen property and released after posting $5,000 bail.
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