Turkish police recover painting that may be stolen Picasso

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkish police and media say police have recovered an oil painting that looks like a Picasso in a sting operation in Istanbul.

The state-run Anadolu Agency said Saturday that police posed as buyers for the painting, detaining two suspects who tried to sell it for $8 million.

Anadolu said the painting, which shows an abstract nude female figure brushing her hair, is an authentic work by Pablo Picasso stolen from a woman in New York. But a statement from Istanbul police said the painting hasn’t been authenticated yet. The painting must still be sent to Istanbul’s Mimar Sinan University to be examined, Anadolu reported.

Turkish police have recovered paintings in similar operations in the past which turned out to be forgeries.