Security at York City Art Gallery was approved by top art security inspectors only months before the armed robbery - even though the gallery appears to have NO CCTV cameras.

The national Museums and Galleries Commission's own experts passed the gallery's measures just before the prestigious Canaletto exhibition was staged last autumn.

An attendant cleans out the glass-covered case that contained the Turner painting

But an Evening Press reporter was unable to see any evidence of closed-circuit TV cameras when he visited the gallery yesterday.

And it was the same story at the Yorkshire Museum and the Castle Museum - apart from in the gift shops.

The museums contain exceptionally valuable treasures including the 15th century Middleham Jewel and an 8th-century Anglian helmet, though these are contained in cases which appear to be alarmed, and an attendant was yesterday standing guard over the jewel.

Officers at City of York Council are refusing to respond to questions about CCTV, although a group of senior officials is to conduct a full review of security at the gallery, the two museums and the York Story.

And last Friday's shocking raid, in which four members of staff were threatened with guns and tied up, has prompted a tightening of security at galleries elsewhere in the North.

Leeds City Council says it will be reviewing measures "in the light of the very serious theft from York's gallery." And Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle has appointed 24-hour guards to protect its priceless collection.

Det Insp Phil Metcalfe, of York Police, said that Interpol had now been alerted to the thefts.

Click here for a list of the items which were stolen

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.