NEW LEADS IN MUNCH THEFT Police have a suspect in the bold daylight robbery of two Edvard Munch masterpieces, but declined to say how close they are to finding the priceless missing paintings.

“The Scream” and “Madonna” were stolen August 22 from Oslo’s Munch museum by three masked robbers, at least one with a gun. There has been no sign of the works, although the Norwegian news media, citing sources in criminal circles, said “Madonna” may be seriously damaged.

Oslo Assistant Police Chief Iver Stensrud confirmed that a man brought in for questioning Wednesday was a suspect in the theft. The unidentified man was released but is still considered a suspect, Mr. Stensrud said.

The suspect’s lawyer, Sverre Naess, said his client has an alibi for the time of the theft. Mr. Naess noted that although the man was considered a suspect, he had not been charged.

Mr. Naess said the police questioned his client about an Audi station wagon that was used in the robbery, and was later abandoned.

“He denied any knowledge of the robbery or the car. He was not asked about the robbery itself, but at any rate has an alibi,” Mr. Naess told the Norwegian news agency NTB.

Norway’s largest newspapers have reported that the getaway car had passed through the hands of several known criminals in the months ahead of the robbery.

“I am optimistic. I believe it will be cleared up,” Mr. Stensrud said. “But this can take time. It could happen quickly, or it could happen this summer.”

Another version of “The Scream” – one of four Munch painted – was stolen from Oslo’s National Gallery in 1994, but recovered a few months later in a sting operation.