UPDATE: Charges laid after stolen artifact from Montreal found in Edmonton

Above: One of two ancient artifacts stolen from a Montreal museum in 2011 has now been recovered. But, the mystery of who stole it and how it ended up in Edmonton remains unsolved. Mike Armstrong reports.

MONTREAL – Quebec police say an artifact dating from the fifth century BC has been found in Edmonton after being stolen in Montreal more than two years ago.

The fragment from a Persian bas-relief sculpture was recovered last month in an apartment.

It was taken from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in September 2011.

The object has an estimated value of $1.2 million.

On Jan. 29, RCMP arrested and charged 33-year-old Simon Metke of Edmonton with possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of proceeds of crime.

Jana Lang, 26, of Edmonton, was charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of proceeds of crime.

Metke and Lang will appear in Edmonton Provincial Court on March 19.

A search warrant was executed at an Edmonton home on Jan. 22, and the artifact was recovered.

Quebec provincial police held a news conference in Montreal Thursday and said the artifact was found with help from the RCMP and the public.

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It is one of two that were stolen from the museum at around the same time – just a month later the marble statuette of a man’s head from the first century BC was also pilfered.

The investigation team is asking for the public’s help in locating the second item.

Anyone with information is asked to call Central Criminal Intelligence,  Sûreté du Québec, at 1-800-659-4264; or at email: art.alerte @ surete.qc.ca . All information received will be treated confidentially.

With files from Global News