Thieves use explosives to steal two Andy Warhol screenprints from Dutch gallery, abandoning others that didn’t fit in the getaway car
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS- Two of Andy Warhol‘s iconic “Reigning Queens” artworks were stolen in a daring heist at the MPV Gallery in Oisterwijk, the Netherlands. The thieves reportedly used explosives to break into the gallery late Thursday night, targeting screenprints of former queens Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Margrethe II of Denmark.
According to Dutch media NOS, the burglars abandoned two other Warhol pieces from the same series — screenprints of former Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Queen Ntombi Tfwala of Eswatini — as the full haul apparently didn’t fit in their getaway car.
“The entrance of the gallery was blown out, and glass was scattered around the building,”
NOS reported.
Art crime expert Arthur Brand, known for recovering high-profile artworks, noted the unusual tactics used. “It’s strange that explosives were involved; that’s uncommon for art thefts,” he commented.
The “Reigning Queens” series, created by the American pop art icon in 1985, was displayed at the gallery ahead of the PAN Amsterdam art fair, where it was scheduled to go on sale from November 24 to December 1. The artworks are reportedly valuable, although Brand mentioned that multiple copies of each screenprint exist, which might make resale easier.
MPV Gallery owner Mark Peet Visser acknowledged the significant worth of the stolen works but declined further comment, according to Omroep Brabant.
The gallery has not yet responded to inquiries from AFP. Dutch police are investigating the case and searching for the stolen pieces.
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