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It wasn't some bold theft carried out by burglars breaking into a heavily-fortified museum with high-tech alarms to swipe a masterpiece. It was a low-tech caper involving a distraction, an accomplice or two and a small sketch.

What was remarkable was the signature on the artwork: Rembrandt.

Authorities said early on Tuesday they had recovered the Dutch master's 17th century sketch at a San Fernando Valley church, about 40 kilometers from the luxury hotel lobby where it was snatched over the weekend from a private art display while a curator was momentarily distracted by someone who seemed interested in buying another piece.

Detectives got a tip from an anonymous caller on Monday evening that the sketch was in the suburban Encino church, he said. A curator confirmed the artwork's authenticity. At a news conference held at dawn on Tuesday, authorities said nobody had been arrested. They did not release the name of the church.

The Rembrandt drawing, swiped on Saturday night, was valued at $250,000 and was being exhibited as part of a private display in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the upmarket seaside community of Marina del Rey.

The sketch was being displayed on an easel or wooden stand and was apparently not fastened down in any way, police said.

They described the theft as well-executed, "but not executed well enough to get away with", adding that investigators had several strong leads and that detectives were looking at video surveillance from the hotel.

The sketch, called The Judgment, was completed around 1655 and is signed on the back by Rembrandt von Rijn.

He is widely regarded as one of the finest painters in European art history and his worldwide name recognition has made his work a common target for thieves.

Questions:

1. What century is the sketch from?

2. How much is it worth?

3. What is the sketch called?

Answers:

1. 17th century.

2. $250,000.

3. The Judgment.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.