THE FAMED RUBENS PAINTING "FOUR NEGRO HEADS" WAS TODAY, (THURSDAY), RETURNED TO THE BRUSSELS MUSEUM OF ARTS FROM WHERE IT WAS STOLEN AND HELD FOR RANSOM TWO DAYS AGO. RECOVERED BY BELGIAN POLICE YESTERDAY, A 19-YEAR-OLD YOUTH WAS LATER DETAINED IN CONNECTION WITH THE THEFT.

POLICE CLAIM THE YOUTH, ANDRE BEUGNIES, HAS MADE A FULL CONFESSION AND ALLEGE HE STOLE THE PAINTING IN THE HOPE OF OBTAINING A RANSOM OF 850 THOUSAND FRANCS, (ABOUT 6000). HE WAS ARRESTED AFTER POLICE TRACED A CALL HE MADE TO THE MUSEUM OFFERING TO RETURN THE PAINTING IF HIS DEMANDS WERE MET.

THE WORK IS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE BEST BY THE FLEMISH MASTER AND HAS BEEN VALUED AT 350 THOUSAND POUNDS. IT'S CONSIDERED TO BE A NATIONAL TREASURE IN BELGIUM AND A REPRODUCTION APPEARS ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE 500 FRANCE NOTE.