ShareSaveIndy Almroth-WrightSouth of EnglandShareSaveHampshire and Isle of Wight ConstabularyPC Mark Webb picked up the plaques from antiques dealer Paul GostelowTwo of three "priceless" altar plaques stolen 12 years ago from the crypt of Napoleon Bonaparte III, the last Emperor of France, have been recovered.
The crypt at St Michael's Abbey in Farnborough, Hampshire, was burgled in February 2014.
They were thought to have been lost forever until Derbyshire antiques dealer Paul Gostelow called police saying he had two of them. He told officers he realised they were Napoleonic by the ball and crown he recalled seeing on 1990s TV show Lovejoy.
Hampshire police said after an investigation with the International Stolen Arts Register the pair were confirmed as the plaques taken from the crypt. The third plaque remains missing.
The call was picked up by PC Mark Webb, the force's heritage crime specialist from the rural crime task force, who travelled to Derbyshire last week to recover the "unique, historically important and priceless" plaques.
He returned them to St Michael's Abbey where they are being restored before being placed back in the crypt.
The force added efforts were ongoing to locate the final plaque.
Lovejoy was a BBC show in thr 1908s and 1990s, starring Ian McShane as the titular antiques dealer and amateur detective.
The character was known for being a lovable rogue, who usually wore a black leather jacket.
It remains one of McShane's best known roles, despite him since featuring in Hollywood films such as the John Wick movies and Hellboy.
