Duchess' missing jewellery worth $156,000 sold for peanuts

London, June 18 (IANS) A Scottish Duchess is still finding it difficult to believe that her jewellery worth 100,000 pounds which she misplaced six years ago at the Glasgow Airport has been sold off by the authorities there for a fraction of its value - 5,000 pounds ($7,800).

The Duchess of Argyll has voiced her "disbelief" after learning about the sell off. She had misplaced four items, including a Victorian diamond tiara, in a bag when she returned from London to Inveraray Castle, Daily Mail reported.

But when they were found by the British Airports Authority (BAA), they did not inform the police and simply sold them to a diamond merchant for just 5,000 pounds.

The proceeds were given to charity as was standard procedure for property unclaimed within three months.

In the meantime, the 68-year-old Duchess had reported the incident to the police and the Art Loss Register (ALR), which listed it on its database of stolen antiques. But it didn't unearth any leads.

It was only earlier this year, the Duchess finally realised what had happened after spotting one of the pieces - a Cartier brooch in a catalogue of Scottish auction Lyon & Turnbull (L&T).