Tue Oct 16, 2012, 10:27 AM

Million dollar art heist in Netherlands

Source: Associated Press

Paintings by Picasso, Matisse, and Monet are among several stolen from a Dutch art gallery in Rotterdam.
By Toby Sterling
October 16, 2012

... The theft at the Kunsthal museum is one of the largest in years in the Netherlands, and is a stunning blow for the private Triton Foundation collection, which was being exhibited publicly as a group for the first time ...

Police spokeswoman Willemieke Romijn said investigators were reviewing videotapes of the theft, which took place around 3 a.m. local time, and calling for any witnesses to come forward. Police have yet to reveal how the heist took place.

The stolen works were Picasso's 1971 "Harlequin Head"; Monet's 1901 "Waterloo Bridge, London" and "Charing Cross Bridge, London"; Henri Matisse's 1919 "Reading Girl in White and Yellow"; Paul Gauguin's 1898 "Girl in Front of Open Window"; Meyer de Haan's "Self-Portrait," around 1890, and Lucian Freud's 2002 work "Woman with Eyes Closed." ...

Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2012/1016/Million-dollar-art-heist-in-Netherlands

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7 replies	Author	Time	Post
Million dollar art heist in Netherlands (Original post)	struggle4progress	Oct 2012	OP
That's terrible and of course the only	Smilo	Oct 2012	#1
From what I understand, from those who know about the subject, art theft is a power trip	tawadi	Oct 2012	#7
Seems like there's an art theft three times a year	bucolic_frolic	Oct 2012	#2
The Netherlands is notorious for big value heists	DFW	Oct 2012	#3
Charing Cross Bridge is one of my favorite Monet's.	closeupready	Oct 2012	#4
Historically, art and theft goes hand in hand.	Neoma	Oct 2012	#5
this is what the 1% of the !% do with their money	madrchsod	Oct 2012	#6

Response to struggle4progress (Original post)

Tue Oct 16, 2012, 10:38 AM

Smilo (1,886 posts)

1. That's terrible and of course the only

ones who could possibly be interested and afford them are members of the 1%. I say we round them all up and interrogate them.

Seriously, this is very sad to hear and I do hope the paintings are recovered.

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Response to Smilo (Reply #1)

Tue Oct 16, 2012, 03:12 PM

tawadi (1,994 posts)

7. From what I understand, from those who know about the subject, art theft is a power trip

Apparently, they have basements or secluded locations where they hide their art treasures... gathering to smoke cigars and relish in the idea of having something else everyone else wants. Sick bastards.

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Response to struggle4progress (Original post)

Tue Oct 16, 2012, 10:44 AM

bucolic_frolic (708 posts)

2. Seems like there's an art theft three times a year

All the security in the world and they can't keep
a few Monet's and Mattisse's locked up?

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Response to struggle4progress (Original post)

Tue Oct 16, 2012, 10:49 AM

DFW (13,359 posts)

3. The Netherlands is notorious for big value heists

An Israeli friend of mine has a lot of work with his security company based in the Netherlands because the Dutch, themselves, seem to have a Swiss cheese attitude about protecting big value items. Couple that with the fact that almost no crime in the Netherlands goes severely punished, and a well-equipped band of high-tech thieves have nothing to lose by trying.

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Response to struggle4progress (Original post)

Tue Oct 16, 2012, 11:00 AM

closeupready (19,487 posts)