COPENHAGEN, DENMARK.-Danish police recovered a self-portrait by Rembrandt almost five years after it was stolen from Sweden's National Museum. The work was retrieved on Thursday during an operation at a Copenhagen hotel that resulted in the arrest of four people.

Police spokesman stated, "We heard that someone was trying to sell the painting and we decided to go for it."

The work dates from 1630 and appears to be undamaged and still in its original frame. It was stolen by three armed and masked robbers who entered Sweden's National Museum in December 2000. The men took three paintings - the Rembrandt and two others by Renoir - they escaped on a small motor boat, spreading nails in front of the museum before they fled. In 2001 one of the Renoirs was recovered. Also eight men have been jailed for their part in the robbery.